The Town FilesGauley Bridge, West Virginia
Town in Fayette County · population 553 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $66,500
- Household income
- $25,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 45.3
Gauley Bridge is a town of 553 people in Fayette County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $66,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of West Virginia towns, better for retirees than 88% of West Virginia towns.
How Gauley Bridge 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 Gauley Bridge is worth $66,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $25,625, which is more affordable than 47% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $472 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gauley Bridge | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $66,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $472 | $811 |
| Median household income | $25,625 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gauley Bridge
| People | Gauley Bridge | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.5% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 40.9% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 11.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | — min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.5% | 86.7% |
Weather in Gauley Bridge
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.4 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gauley Bridge since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 26, 1990 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 1990.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 23, 2019.
Severe weather in Fayette County since 1996
Fayette County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| November 28, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4679: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Fayette County
Fayette County had 10,265 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,615 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Gauley Bridge itself the ACS puts it at 18.4%.
Towns near Gauley Bridge
- Boomer, WV3.8 mi · 599 people · home —
- Smithers, WV4.8 mi · 754 people · home $76,500
- Montgomery, WV6.0 mi · 1,275 people · home $133,000
- Ansted, WV6.2 mi · 1,303 people · home $68,700
- Fayetteville, WV9.0 mi · 2,887 people · home $184,000
- Glasgow, WV11.8 mi · 703 people · home $99,100
- Cedar Grove, WV13.0 mi · 718 people · home $90,700
- East Bank, WV13.2 mi · 822 people · home $98,000
Gauley Bridge questions
Is Gauley Bridge, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gauley Bridge scores better for retirees than 88% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 35%. 30.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Gauley Bridge?
The median owner-occupied home in Gauley Bridge is valued at $66,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $25,625, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $472 a month.
What is the weather like in Gauley Bridge?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 47.4 inches of snow.
Does Gauley Bridge get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gauley Bridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 26, 1990. 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)