The Town FilesTerra Alta, West Virginia
Town in Preston County · population 1,415 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,200
- Household income
- $50,536
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 171 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 29.9
Terra Alta is a town of 1,415 people in Preston County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $95,200, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for families than 77% of West Virginia towns.
How Terra Alta 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 Terra Alta is worth $95,200, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $50,536, which is more affordable than 79% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $742 a month. 69.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Terra Alta | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,200 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $742 | $811 |
| Median household income | $50,536 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 69.2% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Terra Alta
| People | Terra Alta | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.9 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.0% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.8% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 12.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Terra Alta
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 57.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 171.1 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Terra Alta since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 3, 1980 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 7, 2023.
Severe weather in Preston County since 1996
Preston County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| August 2, 2019 | Flood | DR-4455: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Preston County
Preston County had 7,208 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,402 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Terra Alta itself the ACS puts it at 9.5%.
Public schools in Terra Alta
1 public school with 303 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terra Alta/east Preston School | PK-8 | 303 | 12.6 |
Towns near Terra Alta
- Kingwood, WV7.6 mi · 2,980 people · home $162,000
- Oakland, MD7.8 mi · 1,851 people · home $244,400
- Mountain Lake Park, MD9.2 mi · 2,147 people · home $216,100
- Reedsville, WV14.4 mi · 530 people · home $182,400
- Arthurdale, WV15.0 mi · 1,143 people · home $153,900
- Masontown, WV15.5 mi · 510 people · home $120,500
- Thomas, WV20.3 mi · 611 people · home $157,400
- Brookhaven, WV21.3 mi · 5,707 people · home $261,000
Terra Alta questions
Is Terra Alta, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Terra Alta scores better for retirees than 53% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 49%. 14.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.9).
How much does a house cost in Terra Alta?
The median owner-occupied home in Terra Alta is valued at $95,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,536, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $742 a month.
What is the weather like in Terra Alta?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.0 inches of precipitation a year and 171.1 inches of snow.
Does Terra Alta get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Terra Alta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 3, 1980. 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)