The Town FilesGhent, West Virginia
Community in Raleigh County · population 582 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $109,692
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 48.2
Ghent is a community of 582 people in Raleigh County, West Virginia. It ranks quieter than 98% of West Virginia towns, better for families than 75% of West Virginia towns.
How Ghent 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
100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ghent | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $125,000 |
| Median rent | — | $811 |
| Median household income | $109,692 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 24.6% | — |
Who lives in Ghent
| People | Ghent | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.2% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | — min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 62.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Ghent
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.4 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ghent since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 4, 1974 about 5.4 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 32 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 1, 2016.
Severe weather in Raleigh County since 1996
Raleigh County has been included in 29 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 |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| March 31, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4210: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Raleigh County
Raleigh County had 32,322 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,223 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Ghent itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Ghent
1 public school with 219 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghent Elementary | PK-5 | 219 | 11.5 |
Towns near Ghent
- Shady Spring, WV5.8 mi · 3,169 people · home $188,900
- Coal City, WV7.1 mi · 1,689 people · home $9,999
- Daniels, WV7.3 mi · 1,654 people · home $171,300
- Beaver, WV8.4 mi · 1,129 people · home $105,200
- Sophia, WV10.1 mi · 1,130 people · home $116,900
- MacArthur, WV10.4 mi · 1,376 people · home $160,800
- Crab Orchard, WV10.9 mi · 2,416 people · home $168,200
- Beckley, WV11.1 mi · 17,286 people · home $158,000
Ghent questions
Is Ghent, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ghent scores better for retirees than 42% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 98%. 25.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.2).
What is the weather like in Ghent?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 36.4 inches of snow.
Does Ghent get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ghent since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 4, 1974. 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)