The Town FilesRainelle, West Virginia
Town in Greenbrier County · population 1,190 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,800
- Household income
- $35,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 48.8
Rainelle is a town of 1,190 people in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $80,800, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks quieter than 74% of West Virginia towns, easier by car than 70% of West Virginia towns.
How Rainelle 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 Rainelle is worth $80,800, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $35,625, which is more affordable than 61% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $663 a month. 66.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rainelle | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,800 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $663 | $811 |
| Median household income | $35,625 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 66.9% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Rainelle
| People | Rainelle | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.6% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.8% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 86.7% |
Weather in Rainelle
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 18.6°F. About 53.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.3 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rainelle since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 4, 1974 about 4.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 11 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 4, 1974.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 23, 2016.
Severe weather in Greenbrier County since 1996
Greenbrier County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 26, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4861: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2016 | Flood | DR-4273: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County had 12,789 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,155 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Rainelle itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Rainelle
2 public schools with 594 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenbrier West High School | 9-12 | 385 | 12.8 |
| Rainelle Elementary | PK-5 | 209 | 13.1 |
Towns near Rainelle
- Rupert, WV4.6 mi · 877 people · home $104,000
- Alderson, WV17.9 mi · 975 people · home $130,400
- Fayetteville, WV19.6 mi · 2,887 people · home $184,000
- Hilltop, WV20.9 mi · 528 people · home $56,300
- Oak Hill, WV21.0 mi · 8,179 people · home $118,700
- Hinton, WV21.1 mi · 2,245 people · home $92,900
- Piney View, WV21.3 mi · 902 people · home $98,800
- Lewisburg, WV21.5 mi · 3,922 people · home $334,900
Rainelle questions
Is Rainelle, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rainelle scores better for retirees than 23% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 74%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).
How much does a house cost in Rainelle?
The median owner-occupied home in Rainelle is valued at $80,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,625, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $663 a month.
What is the weather like in Rainelle?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 18.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.3 inches of precipitation a year and 51.3 inches of snow.
Does Rainelle get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rainelle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 4, 1974. 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)