Safest Cities in West Virginia (2024)
Ranked by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents from 2024 FBI data. West Virginia has 63 cities reporting crime data, with a statewide violent crime rate of 248.8 per 100K.
63
Cities Tracked
59.2
Safest City Rate
167.9
Median City Rate
982.6
Highest Rate
Top 25 Safest Cities in West Virginia
| # | City | Population | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Property Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hurricane | 6,755 | 59.2 | 0.0 | 1302.7 | B+ |
| 2 | New Martinsville | 5,049 | 59.4 | 0.0 | 79.2 | B+ |
| 3 | Ranson | 5,781 | 69.2 | 0.0 | 847.6 | B |
| 4 | Charles Town | 8,103 | 74.0 | 0.0 | 1234.1 | B |
| 5 | Weirton | 18,151 | 137.7 | 11.0 | 330.6 | C+ |
| 6 | Bridgeport | 9,396 | 138.4 | 0.0 | 1458.1 | C+ |
| 7 | Vienna | 10,397 | 153.9 | 9.6 | 3308.6 | C |
| 8 | Oak Hill | 7,747 | 154.9 | 0.0 | 2065.3 | C |
| 9 | Nitro | 6,360 | 157.2 | 0.0 | 3773.6 | C |
| 10 | Morgantown | 30,510 | 209.8 | 13.1 | 1960.0 | D+ |
| 11 | St. Albans | 10,245 | 224.5 | 0.0 | 2088.8 | D+ |
| 12 | Martinsburg | 19,044 | 231.0 | 0.0 | 987.2 | D+ |
| 13 | Moundsville | 7,718 | 233.2 | 0.0 | 1580.7 | D+ |
| 14 | Parkersburg | 28,815 | 260.3 | 0.0 | 3217.1 | D+ |
| 15 | Dunbar | 7,070 | 311.2 | 0.0 | 1810.5 | D |
| 16 | Buckhannon | 5,014 | 319.1 | 0.0 | 1236.5 | D |
| 17 | Clarksburg | 15,316 | 372.2 | 0.0 | 2219.9 | F |
| 18 | Princeton | 5,551 | 414.3 | 0.0 | 360.3 | F |
| 19 | Elkins | 6,700 | 477.6 | 0.0 | 403.0 | F |
| 20 | Bluefield | 9,163 | 480.2 | 10.9 | 1036.8 | F |
| 21 | South Charleston | 13,098 | 488.6 | 0.0 | 5519.9 | F |
| 22 | Fairmont | 18,066 | 520.3 | 0.0 | 1322.9 | F |
| 23 | Charleston | 46,252 | 542.7 | 13.0 | 3119.9 | F |
| 24 | Beckley | 16,367 | 604.9 | 0.0 | 7912.3 | F |
| 25 | Huntington | 44,860 | 800.3 | 13.4 | 3602.3 | F |
Most Dangerous Cities in West Virginia
| # | City | Population | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wheeling | 25,951 | 982.6 | 0.0 | F |
| 2 | Huntington | 44,860 | 800.3 | 13.4 | F |
| 3 | Beckley | 16,367 | 604.9 | 0.0 | F |
| 4 | Charleston | 46,252 | 542.7 | 13.0 | F |
| 5 | Fairmont | 18,066 | 520.3 | 0.0 | F |
| 6 | South Charleston | 13,098 | 488.6 | 0.0 | F |
| 7 | Bluefield | 9,163 | 480.2 | 10.9 | F |
| 8 | Elkins | 6,700 | 477.6 | 0.0 | F |
| 9 | Princeton | 5,551 | 414.3 | 0.0 | F |
| 10 | Clarksburg | 15,316 | 372.2 | 0.0 | F |
| 11 | Buckhannon | 5,014 | 319.1 | 0.0 | D |
| 12 | Dunbar | 7,070 | 311.2 | 0.0 | D |
| 13 | Parkersburg | 28,815 | 260.3 | 0.0 | D+ |
| 14 | Moundsville | 7,718 | 233.2 | 0.0 | D+ |
| 15 | Martinsburg | 19,044 | 231.0 | 0.0 | D+ |
All 63 Cities in West Virginia
Complete list ranked from safest to most dangerous.
Show all 63 cities
| # | City | Pop. | Violent Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grafton | 4,545 | 0.0 | A |
| 2 | Lewisburg | 3,803 | 0.0 | A |
| 3 | Williamstown | 2,943 | 0.0 | A |
| 4 | Kenova | 2,855 | 0.0 | A |
| 5 | Follansbee | 2,645 | 0.0 | A |
| 6 | Ronceverte | 1,518 | 0.0 | A |
| 7 | Shepherdstown | 1,504 | 0.0 | A |
| 8 | Mullens | 1,372 | 0.0 | A |
| 9 | Ceredo | 1,321 | 0.0 | A |
| 10 | Cedar Grove | 682 | 0.0 | A |
| 11 | Clearview | 455 | 0.0 | A |
| 12 | Fayetteville | 2,771 | 36.1 | B+ |
| 13 | Winfield | 2,360 | 42.4 | B+ |
| 14 | Barboursville | 4,327 | 46.2 | B+ |
| 15 | Point Pleasant | 4,032 | 49.6 | B+ |
| 16 | Spencer | 1,966 | 50.9 | B+ |
| 17 | Hurricane | 6,755 | 59.2 | B+ |
| 18 | New Martinsville | 5,049 | 59.4 | B+ |
| 19 | Ranson | 5,781 | 69.2 | B |
| 20 | Glen Dale | 1,404 | 71.2 | B |
| 21 | Charles Town | 8,103 | 74.0 | B |
| 22 | White Sulphur Springs | 2,177 | 91.9 | B |
| 23 | Ripley | 3,035 | 98.8 | B |
| 24 | Chapmanville | 951 | 105.2 | C+ |
| 25 | Hinton | 2,289 | 131.1 | C+ |
| 26 | Weirton | 18,151 | 137.7 | C+ |
| 27 | Philippi | 2,897 | 138.1 | C+ |
| 28 | Bridgeport | 9,396 | 138.4 | C+ |
| 29 | Vienna | 10,397 | 153.9 | C |
| 30 | Oak Hill | 7,747 | 154.9 | C |
| 31 | Nitro | 6,360 | 157.2 | C |
| 32 | Star City | 1,787 | 167.9 | C |
| 33 | Madison | 2,690 | 185.9 | C |
| 34 | Milton | 2,547 | 196.3 | D+ |
| 35 | West Hamlin | 501 | 199.6 | D+ |
| 36 | Morgantown | 30,510 | 209.8 | D+ |
| 37 | Alderson | 932 | 214.6 | D+ |
| 38 | Westover | 4,068 | 221.2 | D+ |
| 39 | St. Albans | 10,245 | 224.5 | D+ |
| 40 | Martinsburg | 19,044 | 231.0 | D+ |
| 41 | Moundsville | 7,718 | 233.2 | D+ |
| 42 | Weston | 3,722 | 241.8 | D+ |
| 43 | Keyser | 4,839 | 248.0 | D+ |
| 44 | Parkersburg | 28,815 | 260.3 | D+ |
| 45 | Summersville | 3,318 | 271.2 | D |
| 46 | White Hall | 703 | 284.5 | D |
| 47 | Dunbar | 7,070 | 311.2 | D |
| 48 | Buckhannon | 5,014 | 319.1 | D |
| 49 | Gilbert | 305 | 327.9 | D |
| 50 | Clarksburg | 15,316 | 372.2 | F |
| 51 | Ravenswood | 3,828 | 391.8 | F |
| 52 | Princeton | 5,551 | 414.3 | F |
| 53 | Elkins | 6,700 | 477.6 | F |
| 54 | Bluefield | 9,163 | 480.2 | F |
| 55 | South Charleston | 13,098 | 488.6 | F |
| 56 | Fairmont | 18,066 | 520.3 | F |
| 57 | Charleston | 46,252 | 542.7 | F |
| 58 | Beckley | 16,367 | 604.9 | F |
| 59 | Romney | 1,749 | 628.9 | F |
| 60 | Moorefield | 2,480 | 766.1 | F |
| 61 | Huntington | 44,860 | 800.3 | F |
| 62 | Montgomery | 1,209 | 827.1 | F |
| 63 | Wheeling | 25,951 | 982.6 | F |
Crime Composition in West Virginia
How violent crime breaks down across cities reporting data in West Virginia.
State violent crime rate: 248.8/100K vs national average: 359.1/100K (31% below national average)
About This Data
Crime rates are from the FBI's 2024 Uniform Crime Report, the most recent data available. Rates are per 100,000 residents. Safety grades are based on national percentile ranking — an "A" means the city is safer than 80%+ of all US cities in our database.
Not all cities report to the FBI. Small agencies may have incomplete data. Always consider multiple years of data before drawing conclusions about a city's safety.
National demographic context: Crime and safety vary across racial and ethnic groups. Per-city demographic data is not published by the FBI, but national patterns show significant disparities. Full demographics | Racial disparities