The Town FilesMasontown, West Virginia
Town in Preston County · population 510 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $120,500
- Household income
- $54,643
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 39.8
Masontown is a town of 510 people in Preston County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $120,500, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for retirees than 91% of West Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 87% of West Virginia towns.
How Masontown 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 Masontown is worth $120,500, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $54,643, which is more affordable than 64% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $688 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Masontown | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $688 | $811 |
| Median household income | $54,643 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Masontown
| People | Masontown | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Masontown
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.4 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Masontown since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 3, 1980 about 5.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 15 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 13, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 7, 2023.
Severe weather in Preston County since 1996
Preston County has been included in 24 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 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| August 2, 2019 | Flood | DR-4455: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Preston County
Preston County had 7,208 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,402 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Masontown itself the ACS puts it at 10.4%.
Towns near Masontown
- Reedsville, WV2.8 mi · 530 people · home $182,400
- Arthurdale, WV4.0 mi · 1,143 people · home $153,900
- Brookhaven, WV5.8 mi · 5,707 people · home $261,000
- Cheat Lake, WV8.2 mi · 9,930 people · home $367,600
- Kingwood, WV8.3 mi · 2,980 people · home $162,000
- Morgantown, WV9.8 mi · 30,347 people · home $259,400
- Westover, WV11.6 mi · 3,955 people · home $178,400
- Star City, WV12.4 mi · 1,779 people · home $256,200
Masontown questions
Is Masontown, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Masontown scores better for retirees than 91% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 87%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).
How much does a house cost in Masontown?
The median owner-occupied home in Masontown is valued at $120,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,643, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $688 a month.
What is the weather like in Masontown?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 60.4 inches of snow.
Does Masontown get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Masontown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 3, 1980. 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)