The Town FilesPennsboro, West Virginia
City in Ritchie County · population 1,054 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,500
- Household income
- $51,327
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 32.9
Pennsboro is a city of 1,054 people in Ritchie County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $86,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for families than 97% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 96% of West Virginia towns.
How Pennsboro 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 Pennsboro is worth $86,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $51,327, which is more affordable than 87% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $811 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pennsboro | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $811 | $811 |
| Median household income | $51,327 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pennsboro
| People | Pennsboro | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.9 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.5% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.2% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Pennsboro
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pennsboro since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 21, 2026 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on February 27, 1996.
Severe weather in Ritchie County since 1996
Ritchie County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Flood | DR-4932: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Ritchie County
Ritchie County had 3,008 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,970 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Pennsboro itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Pennsboro
1 public school with 204 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creed Collins Elementary | PK-4 | 204 | 11.3 |
Towns near Pennsboro
- Harrisville, WV6.7 mi · 1,631 people · home $123,000
- West Union, WV10.2 mi · 653 people · home $98,600
- St. Marys, WV14.8 mi · 1,831 people · home $147,300
- Middlebourne, WV14.9 mi · 717 people · home $134,400
- Newport, OH15.7 mi · 895 people · home $208,200
- Matamoras (New Matamoras), OH17.2 mi · 702 people · home $94,400
- Belmont, WV17.2 mi · 875 people · home $152,000
- Sistersville, WV19.1 mi · 1,412 people · home $95,300
Pennsboro questions
Is Pennsboro, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pennsboro scores better for retirees than 16% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 96%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.9).
How much does a house cost in Pennsboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Pennsboro is valued at $86,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,327, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $811 a month.
What is the weather like in Pennsboro?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.3 inches of precipitation a year and 24.5 inches of snow.
Does Pennsboro get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pennsboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 21, 2026. 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)