The Town Files

Hartford City, West Virginia

Town in Mason County · population 503 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hartford City is in West VirginiaHartford City
Median home
$82,000
Household income
$51,635
Jan low / Jul high
23° / 86°
Snow a year
13 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
56.0

Hartford City is a town of 503 people in Mason County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $82,000, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks easier by car than 83% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 75% of West Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of West Virginia towns.

How Hartford City 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.

Hartford City lifestyle rankings vs other West Virginia townsRetirement33rd pctFamilies33rd pctQuiet75th pctWalkability42nd pctFirst-time buyers74th pctYoung professionals42nd pctVibrancy57th pctHip & trendy22nd pctCollege town28th pctUpscale27th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving83rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Hartford City is worth $82,000, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $51,635, which is more affordable than 90% of West Virginia towns. 87.6% of households own their home.

Hartford City vs Mason County vs typical West Virginia townHartford CityMason CountyTypical West Virginia townHome value$82,000$120,300$125,000Household income$51,635$49,761$52,093
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of West Virginia towns with 500+ people.
HousingHartford CityTypical West Virginia town
Median home value$82,000$125,000
Median rent—$811
Median household income$51,635$52,093
Home value ÷ income1.6×2.5×
Homeownership87.6%70.7%
Median year built19791965
Seasonal / vacation homes1.2%—

Who lives in Hartford City

PeopleHartford CityTypical West Virginia town
Median age56.043.6
Age 65 and over23.0%21.9%
Under 1823.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher4.5%18.6%
Below the poverty line15.3%18.6%
Veterans8.0%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home1.6%6.6%
Average commute31.1 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband68.0%86.7%

Weather in Hartford City

July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 23.1°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.2 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.

Hartford City monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing41°23°Jan46°25°Feb55°32°Mar67°42°Apr75°52°May83°61°Jun86°66°Jul86°64°Aug80°57°Sep68°45°Oct56°34°Nov45°28°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.14.73.12.64.02.83.90.14.54.64.53.53.83.12.60.43.82.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Gallipolis station (15.9 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hartford City since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 13, 1967 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2017.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Hartford City by decade01950s11960s01970s01980s01990s12000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 28, 2017.

Severe weather in Mason County since 1996

Storm events in Mason County since 1996 by typeHail57Heat12Flood51Drought21High Wind12Heavy Rain11Heavy Snow19Flash Flood26
NOAA Storm Events Database, Mason County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Mason County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3639: Severe Winter Storm
May 13, 2021Severe Ice StormDR-4603: Severe Winter Storms
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3450: Covid-19
April 17, 2018Mud/LandslideDR-4359: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Mason County

Mason County had 6,171 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,568 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Hartford City itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

Largest industries in Mason CountyManufacturing753 jobs · $114,992Retail709 jobs · $26,801Hotels & restaurants355 jobs · $17,559Transportation & warehousing278 jobs · $85,828Other services127 jobs · $24,462Finance & insurance106 jobs · $52,751
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Mason County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Mason 4.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Hartford City

Hartford City questions

Is Hartford City, West Virginia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hartford City scores better for retirees than 33% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 75%. 23.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.0).

How much does a house cost in Hartford City?

The median owner-occupied home in Hartford City is valued at $82,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,635, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in Hartford City?

July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 23.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.5 inches of precipitation a year and 13.2 inches of snow.

Does Hartford City get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hartford City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 13, 1967. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hartford City's Census boundary (GEOID 5435500). Comparisons use the median of West Virginia towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.