West Virginia Crime Statistics
46 years of data (1979–2024)
Key Insights
- →West Virginia ranks #35 out of 51 states for violent crime rate (248.8 per 100K).
- →Violent crime decreased 7.5% from 2023 to 2024.
- →56 cities report crime data. Safest: Grafton (0.0/100K). Most dangerous: Wheeling (982.6/100K).
- →94 murders in 2024 — a rate of 5.3 per 100K residents.
- →Since 1979, West Virginia's violent crime rate has changed by +48%.
Violent Crime Rate
248.8
-7.5% YoY
Murder Rate
5.3
94 total
Property Crime Rate
1161.9
20,566 total
Population
1,769,979
2024
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 4,404
Murder94
Rape850
Robbery171
Aggravated Assault3,289
Property Crime: 20,566
Burglary3,156
Larceny-Theft16,020
Motor Vehicle Theft1,390
Violent Crime Rate Trend
Homicide Rate Trend
Violent Crime Breakdown (2024)
Most Dangerous Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeling | 982.6 | 25,951 |
| Montgomery | 827.1 | 1,209 |
| Huntington | 800.3 | 44,860 |
| Moorefield | 766.1 | 2,480 |
| Romney | 628.9 | 1,749 |
| Beckley | 604.9 | 16,367 |
| Charleston | 542.7 | 46,252 |
| Fairmont | 520.3 | 18,066 |
| South Charleston | 488.6 | 13,098 |
| Bluefield | 480.2 | 9,163 |
Safest Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Grafton | 0.0 | 4,545 |
| Williamstown | 0.0 | 2,943 |
| Kenova | 0.0 | 2,855 |
| Follansbee | 0.0 | 2,645 |
| Ronceverte | 0.0 | 1,518 |
| Mullens | 0.0 | 1,372 |
| Ceredo | 0.0 | 1,321 |
| Cedar Grove | 0.0 | 682 |
| Fayetteville | 36.1 | 2,771 |
| Winfield | 42.4 | 2,360 |
Related Analysis
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer. Rates per 100,000 residents. City data from Table 8.