The Town FilesInstitute, West Virginia
Community in Kanawha County · population 569 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $42,315
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 26.8
Institute is a community of 569 people in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It ranks better transit than 99% of West Virginia towns, hipper than 93% of West Virginia towns, better for young professionals than 91% of West Virginia towns.
How Institute 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
Median rent is $1,000 a month. 63.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Institute | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $1,000 | $811 |
| Median household income | $42,315 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 63.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Institute
| People | Institute | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.8 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 8.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.7% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.6% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 0.4% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 62.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Institute
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.8 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Institute since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 2, 2024 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on October 7, 2014.
Severe weather in Kanawha County since 1996
Kanawha County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| 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 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 |
| January 30, 2024 | Flood | DR-4756: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Kanawha County
Kanawha County had 97,845 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,997 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Institute itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Institute
- West Dunbar, WV0.7 mi · 617 people · home $84,700
- Jefferson, WV1.2 mi · 527 people · home $73,800
- Dunbar, WV1.7 mi · 7,480 people · home $119,600
- St. Albans, WV2.9 mi · 10,861 people · home $140,800
- Nitro, WV3.2 mi · 6,624 people · home $128,900
- Cross Lanes, WV3.9 mi · 9,727 people · home $153,800
- South Charleston, WV4.0 mi · 13,647 people · home $155,400
- Tornado, WV6.2 mi · 1,081 people · home $174,800
Institute questions
Is Institute, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Institute scores better for retirees than 22% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 10%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.8).
What is the weather like in Institute?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.2 inches of precipitation a year and 22.8 inches of snow.
Does Institute get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Institute since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 2, 2024. 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)