West Virginia has a rich history, beautiful scenery, and nice people. However, not all cities in the Mountain State are equally appealing to reside in. Some cities have high crime rates, low salaries, inadequate education, and other characteristics that make them less desirable than others. Based on these factors, Parkersburg has been identified as the worst city in West Virginia.
Crime Rate
Parkersburg is the worst city to reside in West Virginia due to its high crime rate. The FBI reported that Parkersburg had a violent crime rate of 5.6 per 1,000 inhabitants and a property crime rate of 51.8 per 1,000 persons in 2020. These rates are much higher than the state averages of 3.3 and 17.9, respectively. Parkersburg was also classified as the third most dangerous city in West Virginia, after only Huntington and Beckley.
Income And Poverty
Parkersburg is also the worst city to live in West Virginia due to its low income and high poverty rates. Parkersburg’s median household income in 2019 was $37,057, much lower than the state median of $48,850 and the national median of $62,843. Parkersburg had a poverty rate of 21.7% in 2019, which was much higher than the state average of 16% and the national rate of 10.5%.
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Education & Health
Parkersburg is the worst city to live in West Virginia for three reasons: low education and health results. According to U.S. News and World Report, Parkersburg has the lowest education ranking in West Virginia, at 3.9 out of 10.
The report took into account high school graduation rates, college preparation, and student-teacher ratios. Parkersburg was also classified as the second worst city in West Virginia for health, with a rating of 4.1 out of 10. The research took into account issues such as access to health care, quality of care, and health habits.
Conclusion
Parkersburg, West Virginia, has several obstacles and has earned the distinction of being the state’s least attractive city. High crime rates, particularly violent and property crimes, along with low income and high poverty rates, contribute to its negative reputation. Additionally, Parkersburg’s educational and health indicators, which rank lowest and second-lowest in the state, have a detrimental influence on its attraction.