The Town FilesThomas, West Virginia
City in Tucker County · population 611 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $157,400
- Household income
- $56,042
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 170 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 56.4
Thomas is a city of 611 people in Tucker County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $157,400, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of West Virginia towns, better for retirees than 98% of West Virginia towns, quieter than 87% of West Virginia towns.
How Thomas 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 Thomas is worth $157,400, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $56,042, which is more affordable than 38% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $792 a month. 58.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thomas | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,400 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $792 | $811 |
| Median household income | $56,042 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 58.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.7% | — |
Who lives in Thomas
| People | Thomas | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.4 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 41.2% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 15.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Thomas
July highs average 75.3°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 63.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 170.2 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thomas since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 8, 1985 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 2, 2019.
Severe weather in Tucker County since 1996
Tucker County has been included in 25 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 |
| 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 Tucker County
Tucker County had 2,837 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,378 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Thomas itself the ACS puts it at 22%.
Public schools in Thomas
1 public school with 194 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Thomas Elementary Middle School | PK-8 | 194 | 10.8 |
Towns near Thomas
- Davis, WV2.5 mi · 600 people · home $177,100
- Parsons, WV10.7 mi · 1,327 people · home $96,300
- Mountain Lake Park, MD18.1 mi · 2,147 people · home $216,100
- Oakland, MD18.9 mi · 1,851 people · home $244,400
- Terra Alta, WV20.3 mi · 1,415 people · home $95,200
- Petersburg, WV22.4 mi · 2,284 people · home $124,500
- Kingwood, WV24.2 mi · 2,980 people · home $162,000
- Elkins, WV25.0 mi · 6,934 people · home $152,700
Thomas questions
Is Thomas, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thomas scores better for retirees than 98% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 87%. 41.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.4).
How much does a house cost in Thomas?
The median owner-occupied home in Thomas is valued at $157,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,042, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $792 a month.
What is the weather like in Thomas?
July highs average 75.3°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 63.2 inches of precipitation a year and 170.2 inches of snow.
Does Thomas get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thomas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 8, 1985. 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)