The Town FilesMason, West Virginia
Town in Mason County · population 866 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $110,400
- Household income
- $45,893
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 54.2
Mason is a town of 866 people in Mason County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $110,400, 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.
How Mason 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 Mason is worth $110,400, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $45,893, which is more affordable than 57% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $983 a month. 70.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mason | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $110,400 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $983 | $811 |
| Median household income | $45,893 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.2% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Mason
| People | Mason | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.2 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.9% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.9% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 86.7% |
Weather in Mason
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.9 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mason 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 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 28, 2017.
Severe weather in Mason County since 1996
Mason County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 13, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4603: Severe Winter Storms |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2018 | Mud/Landslide | DR-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 Mason itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Mason
1 public school with 369 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wahama Junior/Senior High School | 7-12 | 369 | 14.2 |
Towns near Mason
- Pomeroy, OH1.3 mi · 1,573 people · home $64,900
- Middleport, OH2.3 mi · 2,208 people · home $87,700
- Hartford City, WV2.8 mi · 503 people · home $82,000
- Syracuse, OH3.5 mi · 781 people · home $121,200
- New Haven, WV4.0 mi · 1,476 people · home $106,500
- Racine, OH7.4 mi · 683 people · home $135,000
- Point Pleasant, WV12.7 mi · 4,070 people · home $118,000
- Bidwell, OH15.1 mi · 863 people · home $99,700
Mason questions
Is Mason, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mason scores better for retirees than 26% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 75%. 31.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.2).
How much does a house cost in Mason?
The median owner-occupied home in Mason is valued at $110,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,893, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $983 a month.
What is the weather like in Mason?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 14.9 inches of snow.
Does Mason get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mason since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 13, 1967. 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)