Is St. Albans, WV a Good Place to Live?
St. Albans is a small city of 10,753 in West Virginia, with a median household income of $60,524 and a 6.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: St. Albans stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. Albans is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. Albans 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: 92.7St. Albans's overall cost of living index is 92.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. Albans costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. Albans, WV | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $135,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $931 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $60,524 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSt. Albans's violent crime rate is 224.5 per 100,000 residents — 41% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
St. Albans is served primarily by Kanawha County Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. Albans, WV | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Kanawha County Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 39 | — |
| Middle Schools | 12 | — |
| High Schools | 10 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. Albans sees average highs of 41.7°F in January and 85.6°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 10.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. Albans, WV |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.7°F |
| Average High — July | 85.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. Albans, WV | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,753 | — |
| Median Age | 46.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 90.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 25.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. Albans
St. Albans, WV is covered by 1 ZIP code: