The Town FilesBluewell, West Virginia
Community in Mercer County · population 2,162 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,500
- Household income
- $35,168
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 67.5
Bluewell is a community of 2,162 people in Mercer County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $125,500, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of West Virginia towns, easier by car than 91% of West Virginia towns.
How Bluewell 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 Bluewell is worth $125,500, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $35,168, which is more affordable than 13% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $728 a month. 64.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bluewell | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $728 | $811 |
| Median household income | $35,168 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 64.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Bluewell
| People | Bluewell | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 67.5 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 53.9% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 8.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.3% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.5% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Bluewell
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.6 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Bluewell since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 7, 2014 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 7, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 8, 2019.
Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996
Mercer County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| December 9, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4851: Post-Tropical Storm Helene |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Mercer County
Mercer County had 19,314 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,193 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Bluewell itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Bluewell
- Montcalm, WV2.6 mi · 575 people · home —
- Brush Fork, WV2.7 mi · 1,065 people · home $90,000
- Bluefield, WV4.3 mi · 9,658 people · home $105,400
- Bluefield, VA5.6 mi · 5,096 people · home $152,500
- Princeton, WV9.5 mi · 5,872 people · home $120,300
- Springville, VA11.5 mi · 1,043 people · home —
- Athens, WV15.2 mi · 962 people · home $168,100
- Gratton, VA15.6 mi · 865 people · home $113,500
Bluewell questions
Is Bluewell, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bluewell scores better for retirees than 46% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 35%. 53.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 67.5).
How much does a house cost in Bluewell?
The median owner-occupied home in Bluewell is valued at $125,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,168, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $728 a month.
What is the weather like in Bluewell?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 34.6 inches of snow.
Does Bluewell get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Bluewell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 7, 2014. 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)