Is Harpers Ferry, WV a Good Place to Live?
Harpers Ferry is a small town of 301 in West Virginia, with a median household income of $109,183 and a 8.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: Harpers Ferry stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Harpers Ferry is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Harpers Ferry city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 108.6Harpers Ferry's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Harpers Ferry costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Harpers Ferry, WV | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $369,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 96.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $109,183 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeHarpers Ferry's violent crime rate is 66.5 per 100,000 residents — 82% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Harpers Ferry is served primarily by Jefferson County Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Harpers Ferry, WV | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Jefferson County Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 10 | — |
| Middle Schools | 4 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Harpers Ferry sees average highs of 41.2°F in January and 86.1°F in July, with 43.3 inches of annual precipitation and 23.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Harpers Ferry, WV |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.2°F |
| Average High — July | 86.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Harpers Ferry, WV | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 301 | — |
| Median Age | 57.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 54.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 97.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 14.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 39.5% | 16.8% |