The Town FilesRipley, West Virginia
City in Jackson County · population 3,079 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,800
- Household income
- $41,518
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 44.0
Ripley is a city of 3,079 people in Jackson County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $121,800, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of West Virginia towns.
How Ripley 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 Ripley is worth $121,800, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $41,518, which is more affordable than 33% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $613 a month. 60.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ripley | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,800 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $613 | $811 |
| Median household income | $41,518 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.5% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ripley
| People | Ripley | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Ripley
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 46.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.6 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ripley since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 19, 1963 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 26, 2015.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, chemical, hurricane.
| 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 |
| June 25, 2016 | Flood | DR-4273: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4236: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 7,810 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,922 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Ripley itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Ripley
5 public schools with 2,246 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley High School | 9-12 | 788 | 14.9 |
| Ripley Elementary School | PK-5 | 583 | 13.3 |
| Ripley Middle School | 6-8 | 570 | 13.9 |
| Fairplain Elementary School | PK-5 | 168 | 11.2 |
| Gilmore Elementary School | PK-5 | 137 | 12.5 |
Towns near Ripley
- Ravenswood, WV9.7 mi · 3,865 people · home $97,600
- Sissonville, WV22.4 mi · 4,084 people · home $180,800
- Point Pleasant, WV22.8 mi · 4,070 people · home $118,000
- Gallipolis, OH25.9 mi · 3,313 people · home $119,900
- Cross Lanes, WV26.9 mi · 9,727 people · home $153,800
- Teays Valley, WV28.3 mi · 14,350 people · home $278,000
- Nitro, WV28.8 mi · 6,624 people · home $128,900
Ripley questions
Is Ripley, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ripley scores better for retirees than 96% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 39%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Ripley?
The median owner-occupied home in Ripley is valued at $121,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,518, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $613 a month.
What is the weather like in Ripley?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.0 inches of precipitation a year and 11.6 inches of snow.
Does Ripley get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ripley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 19, 1963. 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)