CrimeMetric

Crime in West Virginia

Major crime across West Virginia is 29% below the U.S. rate per resident: 25% lower for persons crimes and 30% lower for property crimes. That is the 44th highest of the 50 states and DC. Expected major crimes are down 6.9% from a year earlier. Of the 50 places below, 22 are more than 5% above the statewide rate.

Major crime
71
29% below the U.S. rate
1,224 per 100,000
down 6.9% in a year
Persons crimes
75
25% below the U.S. rate
233 per 100,000
down 4.7% in a year
Property crimes
71
30% below the U.S. rate
990 per 100,000
down 7.4% in a year
Social disorder
81
19% below the U.S. rate
1,867 per 100,000
down 5.9% in a year
Cities and places

Larger places in West Virginia, against the U.S. and the state

Major-crime index per resident; the U.S. rate is 100.

PlaceIndexAgainst West Virginia
Charleston2283.2 times
Huntington2433.4 times
Parkersburg1682.4 times
Morgantown8418% higher
Wheeling1532.1 times
Beckley3464.9 times
Fairmont8418% higher
Martinsburg9432% higher
Teays Valley3453% lower
Clarksburg1221.7 times
South Charleston2113.0 times
Vienna2143.0 times
St. Albans1351.9 times
Cross Lanes668% lower
Bridgeport2762% lower
Bluefield667% lower
Moundsville1462.0 times
Oak Hill4043% lower
Dunbar1321.8 times
Pea Ridge9736% higher
Charles Town3157% lower
Elkins6114% lower
Nitro2233.1 times
Princeton3847% lower
Brookhaven2762% lower
Keyser6411% lower
Buckhannon5030% lower
Ravenswood2565% lower
Shannondale1874% lower
Ranson676% lower
Shady Spring5326% lower
Kingwood3255% lower
Pleasant Valley4833% lower
Sissonville1321.8 times
Lewisburg7911% higher
Philippi3748% lower
Kenova3156% lower
Moorefield1161.6 times
Point Pleasant7810% higher
Grafton5424% lower
Westover70about the same
Weston4537% lower
Williamstown1974% lower
Spencer8316% higher
Barboursville5326% lower
Ripley3452% lower
Richwood8113% higher
Williamson3255% lower
White Sulphur Springs5918% lower
Harrisville4044% lower

The 50 largest places in West Virginia, largest first.

Crime by type

Rape / sexual assault stands out most, at 46% above the U.S. rate

Every block group in West Virginia, including towns and unincorporated areas: the index against the U.S. rate per resident, and expected crimes a year per 100,000 residents.

Persons crimes

Rape / sexual assault14648.9
Murder1164.1
Aggravated assault75172
Robbery198.2

Property crimes

Shoplifting103328
Burglary83136
Other larceny80401
Motor vehicle theft3454.6
Theft from vehicle2771.8

Social disorder

Drugs and alcohol113561
Weapons violations9190.9
Disorderly conduct8196.6
Trespassing81190
Simple assault80580
Vandalism63259
Intimidation4089.9

How crime varies across West Virginia

Share of West Virginia residents by the major-crime index of their census block group.

  • 0–5063.3%
  • 50–10021.6%
  • 100–2009.5%
  • 200–4003.2%
  • 400+2.2%

93.1% of West Virginia residents live where agencies send detailed incident reports to the FBI. Data sources

1,639 block groups and 1,765,314 residents. How the estimates are made