The Town FilesSistersville, West Virginia
City in Tyler County · population 1,412 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,300
- Household income
- $45,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.2
Sistersville is a city of 1,412 people in Tyler County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $95,300, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 76% of West Virginia towns, hipper than 76% of West Virginia towns, better for families than 74% of West Virginia towns.
How Sistersville 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 Sistersville is worth $95,300, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $45,500, which is more affordable than 70% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $812 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sistersville | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,300 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $812 | $811 |
| Median household income | $45,500 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Sistersville
| People | Sistersville | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 40.8% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.9% | 86.7% |
Weather in Sistersville
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.0 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sistersville since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 23, 2000 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 21, 1976.
Severe weather in Tyler County since 1996
Tyler County has been included in 26 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 |
| May 24, 2024 | Flood | DR-4787: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Tyler County
Tyler County had 1,914 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,271 a year. Unemployment was 5.9% in 2023; in Sistersville itself the ACS puts it at 12.6%.
Public schools in Sistersville
3 public schools with 915 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Consolidated High School | 9-12 | 369 | 10.5 |
| Sistersville Elementary School | PK-5 | 280 | 12.2 |
| Tyler Consolidated Middle School | 6-8 | 266 | 12.7 |
Towns near Sistersville
- Paden City, WV4.5 mi · 2,541 people · home $103,200
- Matamoras (New Matamoras), OH4.9 mi · 702 people · home $94,400
- Middlebourne, WV6.5 mi · 717 people · home $134,400
- Sardis, OH6.9 mi · 522 people · home $114,000
- New Martinsville, WV9.4 mi · 5,204 people · home $128,300
- Woodsfield, OH15.4 mi · 2,210 people · home $108,600
- St. Marys, WV15.8 mi · 1,831 people · home $147,300
- Newport, OH16.3 mi · 895 people · home $208,200
Sistersville questions
Is Sistersville, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sistersville scores better for retirees than 17% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 62%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Sistersville?
The median owner-occupied home in Sistersville is valued at $95,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,500, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $812 a month.
What is the weather like in Sistersville?
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.3 inches of precipitation a year and 26.0 inches of snow.
Does Sistersville get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sistersville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 23, 2000. 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)