The Town FilesChesapeake, West Virginia
Town in Kanawha County · population 1,335 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $84,500
- Household income
- $60,927
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 37.7
Chesapeake is a town of 1,335 people in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $84,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks easier by car than 95% of West Virginia towns.
How Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake is worth $84,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $60,927, which is more affordable than 94% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $967 a month. 77.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chesapeake | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $967 | $811 |
| Median household income | $60,927 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 77.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Chesapeake
| People | Chesapeake | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.5% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 86.7% |
Weather in Chesapeake
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 46.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.1 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 91 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chesapeake since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 2, 2024 about 1.9 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 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 4, 2013.
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 Chesapeake itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Chesapeake
2 public schools with 282 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Trail Elementary School | PK-5 | 164 | 10.9 |
| Chesapeake Elementary School | PK-5 | 118 | 9.1 |
Towns near Chesapeake
- Belle, WV0.9 mi · 1,169 people · home $107,100
- Marmet, WV2.6 mi · 1,504 people · home $95,100
- Chelyan, WV3.1 mi · 681 people · home $103,500
- Dupont City, WV3.5 mi · 602 people · home $190,900
- Shrewsbury, WV3.9 mi · 517 people · home $85,300
- Rand, WV4.4 mi · 1,543 people · home $89,900
- East Bank, WV5.0 mi · 822 people · home $98,000
- Cedar Grove, WV5.3 mi · 718 people · home $90,700
Chesapeake questions
Is Chesapeake, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chesapeake scores better for retirees than 0% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 21%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Chesapeake?
The median owner-occupied home in Chesapeake is valued at $84,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,927, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $967 a month.
What is the weather like in Chesapeake?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.4 inches of precipitation a year and 26.1 inches of snow.
Does Chesapeake get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chesapeake 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)