The Town FilesBig Chimney, West Virginia
Community in Kanawha County · population 629 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $43,403
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 59.3
Big Chimney is a community of 629 people in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It ranks more upscale than 85% of West Virginia towns, better for young professionals than 82% of West Virginia towns, better for retirees than 77% of West Virginia towns.
How Big Chimney 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
90.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Big Chimney | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $125,000 |
| Median rent | — | $811 |
| Median household income | $43,403 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 90.9% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Big Chimney
| People | Big Chimney | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.3 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.4% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 4.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 20.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 26.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | — min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Big Chimney
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 26.1°F. About 46.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Chimney since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 2, 2024 about 7.3 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 75 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on May 23, 2019.
Severe weather in Kanawha County since 1996
Kanawha County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4953: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
| January 30, 2024 | Flood | DR-4756: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Kanawha County
Kanawha County had 97,845 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,997 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Big Chimney itself the ACS puts it at 13.3%.
Towns near Big Chimney
- Pinch, WV3.0 mi · 2,914 people · home $221,500
- Elkview, WV3.3 mi · 1,116 people · home $125,000
- Coal Fork, WV6.0 mi · 1,039 people · home $101,000
- Charleston, WV7.1 mi · 48,864 people · home $203,300
- Sissonville, WV8.2 mi · 4,084 people · home $180,800
- Rand, WV9.4 mi · 1,543 people · home $89,900
- Dupont City, WV10.5 mi · 602 people · home $190,900
- Clendenin, WV10.9 mi · 854 people · home $116,300
Big Chimney questions
Is Big Chimney, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Big Chimney scores better for retirees than 77% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 44%. 37.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.3).
What is the weather like in Big Chimney?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 26.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.2 inches of precipitation a year and 31.5 inches of snow.
Does Big Chimney get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Chimney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 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)