The Town FilesCarpendale, West Virginia
Town in Mineral County · population 860 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,300
- Household income
- $66,027
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 47.5
Carpendale is a town of 860 people in Mineral County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $171,300, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks more walkable than 82% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 79% of West Virginia towns, more vibrant than 79% of West Virginia towns.
How Carpendale 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 Carpendale is worth $171,300, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $66,027, which is more affordable than 47% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $697 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carpendale | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,300 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $697 | $811 |
| Median household income | $66,027 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carpendale
| People | Carpendale | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.4% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Carpendale
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 22.5°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.7 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carpendale since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1998 about 2.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 2, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 1, 2025.
Severe weather in Mineral County since 1996
Mineral County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4378: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3358: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Mineral County
Mineral County had 8,694 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,612 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Carpendale itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Towns near Carpendale
- Bowling Green, MD0.8 mi · 1,018 people · home $132,000
- Ridgeley, WV1.3 mi · 591 people · home $151,800
- Potomac Park, MD1.4 mi · 821 people · home $139,400
- Wiley Ford, WV1.7 mi · 906 people · home $189,000
- Cumberland, MD2.4 mi · 19,076 people · home $123,200
- Cresaptown, MD3.4 mi · 5,442 people · home $142,600
- La Vale, MD3.6 mi · 4,201 people · home $170,800
- Bowmans Addition, MD4.4 mi · 584 people · home $187,300
Carpendale questions
Is Carpendale, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carpendale scores better for retirees than 14% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 79%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Carpendale?
The median owner-occupied home in Carpendale is valued at $171,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,027, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $697 a month.
What is the weather like in Carpendale?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 22.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 28.7 inches of snow.
Does Carpendale get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carpendale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 2, 1998. 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)