The Town Files

Idamay, West Virginia

Community in Marion County · population 542 (2020 Census)

Map: where Idamay is in West VirginiaIdamay
Median home
$111,200
Household income
$98,953
Jan low / Jul high
24° / 84°
Snow a year
25 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
5
Median age
65.1

Idamay is a community of 542 people in Marion County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $111,200, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for families than 94% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 91% of West Virginia towns, more walkable than 77% of West Virginia towns.

Idamay in our rankings:

How Idamay 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.

Idamay lifestyle rankings vs other West Virginia townsRetirement64th pctFamilies94th pctQuiet91st pctWalkability77th pctFirst-time buyers71st pctYoung professionals10th pctVibrancy38th pctHip & trendy38th pctCollege town58th pctUpscale60th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving46th 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 Idamay is worth $111,200, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.1 times the median household income of $98,953, which is more affordable than 99% of West Virginia towns. 100.0% of households own their home.

Idamay vs Marion County vs typical West Virginia townIdamayMarion CountyTypical West Virginia townHome value$111,200$166,700$125,000Household income$98,953$67,370$52,093
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of West Virginia towns with 500+ people.
HousingIdamayTypical West Virginia town
Median home value$111,200$125,000
Median rent—$811
Median household income$98,953$52,093
Home value ÷ income1.1×2.5×
Homeownership100.0%70.7%
Median year built19381965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Idamay

PeopleIdamayTypical West Virginia town
Median age65.143.6
Age 65 and over50.8%21.9%
Under 189.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher9.8%18.6%
Below the poverty line17.7%18.6%
Veterans0.0%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home0.0%6.6%
Average commute16.8 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband91.9%86.7%

Weather in Idamay

July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 47.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.6 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.

Idamay monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing40°24°Jan43°26°Feb52°33°Mar65°42°Apr73°52°May80°60°Jun84°64°Jul83°63°Aug77°56°Sep65°45°Oct54°36°Nov44°29°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.88.83.27.84.23.43.90.15.14.74.93.83.93.43.10.83.73.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Fairmont station (6.8 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Idamay since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 21, 1981 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 14, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Idamay by decade01950s01960s11970s11980s21990s02000s02010s12020s
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 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 10, 1975.

Severe weather in Marion County since 1996

Storm events in Marion County since 1996 by typeHail35Flood26Drought6High Wind13Heavy Rain5Heavy Snow14Debris Flow5Flash Flood114
NOAA Storm Events Database, Marion County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Marion County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3639: Severe Winter Storm
July 22, 2025FloodDR-4884: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3450: Covid-19
August 18, 2017Severe StormDR-4331: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Marion County

Marion County had 17,617 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,020 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Idamay itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.

Largest industries in Marion CountyHealth care & social assistan…2,692 jobs · $50,777Retail2,158 jobs · $35,711Hotels & restaurants1,762 jobs · $20,636Administrative & support998 jobs · $52,303Professional & technical serv…990 jobs · $87,487Construction837 jobs · $63,127
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Marion County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Marion 4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Idamay

Idamay questions

Is Idamay, West Virginia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Idamay scores better for retirees than 64% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 91%. 50.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 65.1).

How much does a house cost in Idamay?

The median owner-occupied home in Idamay is valued at $111,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,953, so homes cost about 1.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in Idamay?

July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.8 inches of precipitation a year and 24.6 inches of snow.

Does Idamay get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Idamay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 21, 1981. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Idamay's Census boundary (GEOID 5439676). 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.