The Town FilesHamlin, West Virginia
Town in Lincoln County · population 1,039 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,500
- Household income
- $61,429
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 43.5
Hamlin is a town of 1,039 people in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $95,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks easier by car than 97% of West Virginia towns.
How Hamlin 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 Hamlin is worth $95,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $61,429, which is more affordable than 90% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $679 a month. 64.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hamlin | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $679 | $811 |
| Median household income | $61,429 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 64.5% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hamlin
| People | Hamlin | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.7% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.8% | 86.7% |
Weather in Hamlin
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 47.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hamlin since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on March 2, 2012 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 4, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 7, 2014.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| May 20, 2021 | Flood | DR-4605: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 2,423 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,630 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Hamlin itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Hamlin
2 public schools with 1,282 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County High School | 9-12 | 837 | 14.9 |
| Hamlin Pk-8 | PK-8 | 445 | 11.4 |
Towns near Hamlin
- West Hamlin, WV5.3 mi · 524 people · home $129,800
- Culloden, WV9.6 mi · 3,016 people · home $197,800
- Milton, WV11.1 mi · 2,811 people · home $143,900
- Hurricane, WV11.3 mi · 6,961 people · home $210,500
- Tornado, WV13.7 mi · 1,081 people · home $174,800
- Barboursville, WV13.7 mi · 4,456 people · home $197,700
- Alum Creek, WV14.3 mi · 1,595 people · home $159,300
- Teays Valley, WV15.2 mi · 14,350 people · home $278,000
Hamlin questions
Is Hamlin, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hamlin scores better for retirees than 0% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 16%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Hamlin?
The median owner-occupied home in Hamlin is valued at $95,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,429, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $679 a month.
What is the weather like in Hamlin?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.6 inches of precipitation a year and 18.5 inches of snow.
Does Hamlin get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hamlin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on March 2, 2012. 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)