The Town FilesBethany, West Virginia
Town in Brooke County · population 781 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $110,600
- Household income
- $60,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 20.9
Bethany is a town of 781 people in Brooke County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $110,600, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of West Virginia towns, better for young professionals than 96% of West Virginia towns, better for retirees than 93% of West Virginia towns.
How Bethany 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 Bethany is worth $110,600, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $60,313, which is more affordable than 84% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $639 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethany | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $110,600 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $639 | $811 |
| Median household income | $60,313 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bethany
| People | Bethany | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.9 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.8% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 10.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.2% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Bethany
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 22.3°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.2 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 21, 2021 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 21, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 12, 2023.
Severe weather in Brooke County since 1996
Brooke County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Brooke County
Brooke County had 7,062 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,534 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Bethany itself the ACS puts it at 10%.
Towns near Bethany
- West Liberty, WV3.4 mi · 1,454 people · home $151,900
- Independence, PA4.8 mi · 1,515 people · home $190,600
- Beech Bottom, WV5.3 mi · 553 people · home $60,300
- Wellsburg, WV5.9 mi · 2,450 people · home $104,500
- Brilliant, OH6.0 mi · 1,317 people · home $82,500
- Avella, PA6.9 mi · 782 people · home $139,100
- Donegal, PA7.1 mi · 2,395 people · home $202,400
- West Alexander, PA7.3 mi · 565 people · home $165,600
Bethany questions
Is Bethany, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethany scores better for retirees than 93% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 23%. 7.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 20.9).
How much does a house cost in Bethany?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethany is valued at $110,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,313, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $639 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethany?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 22.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 15.2 inches of snow.
Does Bethany get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 21, 2021. 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)