The Town FilesAlum Creek, West Virginia
Community in Lincoln County · population 1,595 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $159,300
- Household income
- $74,231
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 48.1
Alum Creek is a community of 1,595 people in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $159,300, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for families than 78% of West Virginia towns, more upscale than 72% of West Virginia towns.
How Alum Creek ranks
Percentile among West Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of West Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alum Creek is worth $159,300, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $74,231, which is more affordable than 70% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $859 a month. 91.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alum Creek | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,300 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $859 | $811 |
| Median household income | $74,231 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 91.2% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alum Creek
| People | Alum Creek | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.8% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.7% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Alum Creek
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.8 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alum Creek since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 2, 2024 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on October 7, 2014.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 26, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4861: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 24, 2024 | Flood | DR-4787: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 20, 2021 | Flood | DR-4605: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 2,423 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,630 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Alum Creek itself the ACS puts it at 12.9%.
Public schools in Alum Creek
1 public school with 255 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midway Elementary School | PK-5 | 255 | 12.1 |
Towns near Alum Creek
- Tornado, WV2.8 mi · 1,081 people · home $174,800
- St. Albans, WV6.2 mi · 10,861 people · home $140,800
- Jefferson, WV6.7 mi · 527 people · home $73,800
- West Dunbar, WV7.3 mi · 617 people · home $84,700
- Institute, WV7.4 mi · 569 people · home —
- South Charleston, WV7.8 mi · 13,647 people · home $155,400
- Dunbar, WV7.9 mi · 7,480 people · home $119,600
- Nitro, WV8.6 mi · 6,624 people · home $128,900
Alum Creek questions
Is Alum Creek, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alum Creek scores better for retirees than 23% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 69%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Alum Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Alum Creek is valued at $159,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,231, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $859 a month.
What is the weather like in Alum Creek?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.2 inches of precipitation a year and 19.8 inches of snow.
Does Alum Creek get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alum Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on April 2, 2024. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)