The Town FilesCraigsville, West Virginia
Community in Nicholas County · population 2,173 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,500
- Household income
- $39,943
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 83 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.6
Craigsville is a community of 2,173 people in Nicholas County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $83,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better transit than 77% of West Virginia towns.
How Craigsville 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 Craigsville is worth $83,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $39,943, which is more affordable than 70% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $611 a month. 72.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Craigsville | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $611 | $811 |
| Median household income | $39,943 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 72.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.0% | — |
Who lives in Craigsville
| People | Craigsville | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Craigsville
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 55.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 82.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Craigsville since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 21, 2016 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 22, 2008.
Severe weather in Nicholas County since 1996
Nicholas County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| June 25, 2016 | Flood | DR-4273: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Nicholas County
Nicholas County had 7,321 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,930 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Craigsville itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Craigsville
4 public schools with 874 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richwood High School | 9-12 | 322 | 17.9 |
| Gauley River Elementary School | PK-5 | 321 | 14.6 |
| Richwood Middle School | 6-8 | 231 | 13.6 |
| Nicholas County Career/technical Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Craigsville
- Richwood, WV9.1 mi · 1,660 people · home $70,000
- Summersville, WV10.8 mi · 3,431 people · home $230,000
- Addison (Webster Springs), WV16.9 mi · 731 people · home $89,200
- Sutton, WV24.1 mi · 863 people · home $87,700
- Gassaway, WV24.7 mi · 759 people · home $94,400
- Rupert, WV24.8 mi · 877 people · home $104,000
- Rainelle, WV25.4 mi · 1,190 people · home $80,800
- Ansted, WV27.9 mi · 1,303 people · home $68,700
Craigsville questions
Is Craigsville, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Craigsville scores better for retirees than 17% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 42%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Craigsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Craigsville is valued at $83,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,943, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $611 a month.
What is the weather like in Craigsville?
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.8 inches of precipitation a year and 82.5 inches of snow.
Does Craigsville get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Craigsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 21, 2016. 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)