The Town FilesMonongah, West Virginia
Town in Marion County · population 965 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $77,300
- Household income
- $50,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 47.2
Monongah is a town of 965 people in Marion County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $77,300, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for families than 91% of West Virginia towns, more of a college town than 85% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 77% of West Virginia towns.
How Monongah 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 Monongah is worth $77,300, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $50,875, which is more affordable than 92% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $998 a month. 70.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monongah | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $77,300 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $998 | $811 |
| Median household income | $50,875 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.5% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Monongah
| People | Monongah | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.2% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 10.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Monongah
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 28.2 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.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monongah 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 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 10, 1975.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 22 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 |
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4884: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| August 18, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-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 Monongah itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Monongah
2 public schools with 459 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monongah Elementary School | PK-4 | 247 | 11.8 |
| Monongah Middle School | 5-8 | 212 | 11.8 |
Towns near Monongah
- Idamay, WV3.0 mi · 542 people · home $111,200
- White Hall, WV3.1 mi · 700 people · home $286,700
- Pleasant Valley, WV3.5 mi · 3,498 people · home $213,600
- Fairmont, WV4.0 mi · 18,416 people · home $163,800
- Barrackville, WV4.0 mi · 1,201 people · home $167,700
- Enterprise, WV4.3 mi · 805 people · home $131,300
- Shinnston, WV6.1 mi · 2,328 people · home $153,200
- Rivesville, WV7.4 mi · 828 people · home $150,700
Monongah questions
Is Monongah, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monongah scores better for retirees than 73% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 77%. 26.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.2).
How much does a house cost in Monongah?
The median owner-occupied home in Monongah is valued at $77,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,875, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $998 a month.
What is the weather like in Monongah?
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 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Monongah get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monongah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 21, 1981. 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)