The Town FilesPetersburg, West Virginia
City in Grant County · population 2,284 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,500
- Household income
- $42,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 44.0
Petersburg is a city of 2,284 people in Grant County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $124,500, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of West Virginia towns, easier by car than 86% of West Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 78% of West Virginia towns.
How Petersburg 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 Petersburg is worth $124,500, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $42,917, which is more affordable than 33% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $646 a month. 60.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Petersburg | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $646 | $811 |
| Median household income | $42,917 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Petersburg
| People | Petersburg | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.7% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.5% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 14.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Petersburg
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.6 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburg since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 9, 1998 about 0.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 9, 2021.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2, 2019 | Flood | DR-4455: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 12, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4378: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 3,619 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,941 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Petersburg itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Petersburg
3 public schools with 1,233 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg Elementary School | PK-6 | 644 | 16.1 |
| Petersburg High School | 7-12 | 589 | 14.0 |
| South Branch Vocational School | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Petersburg
- Moorefield, WV10.2 mi · 2,524 people · home $125,000
- Davis, WV20.0 mi · 600 people · home $177,100
- Thomas, WV22.4 mi · 611 people · home $157,400
- Basye, VA23.2 mi · 1,374 people · home $297,300
Petersburg questions
Is Petersburg, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Petersburg scores better for retirees than 96% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 77%. 26.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Petersburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Petersburg is valued at $124,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,917, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $646 a month.
What is the weather like in Petersburg?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 57.6 inches of snow.
Does Petersburg get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 9, 1998. 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)