Moving to West Virginia from Vermont
What to Expect
Considering a move from Vermont to West Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Vermont to West Virginia, you would find that West Virginia is 16.8% cheaper than Vermont. A $75,000 salary in Vermont would need to be roughly $58,357 in West Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Charleston averages 73°F vs 56°F in Montpelier, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Vermont and West Virginia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $58,357
To maintain the same standard of living in West Virginia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 8.9% less
Groceries
pay 21.7% less
Transportation
pay 2.5% less
Housing
pay 10.7% less
Childcare
pay 48.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in West Virginia compared to Vermont.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Vermont generally does better on safety, though West Virginia leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Vermont performs better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
West Virginia performs significantly better than Vermont across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Vermont performs better than West Virginia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Vermont performs better than West Virginia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Vermont performs better than West Virginia across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Montpelier | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 34°/8°F (1°/-13°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 67°/42°F (20°/5°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C) | 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Montpelier | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°/3°F (-2.2°/-15.9°C) | 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) |
| Feb | 33°/6°F (0.3°/-14.5°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) |
| Mar | 42°/16°F (5.4°/-8.9°C) | 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) |
| Apr | 55°/30°F (12.8°/-1.1°C) | 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) |
| May | 69°/42°F (20.3°/5.5°C) | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 78°/53°F (25.5°/11.7°C) | 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 83°/58°F (28.4°/14.2°C) | 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) |
| Aug | 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) | 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 73°/47°F (22.8°/8.2°C) | 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) |
| Oct | 59°/35°F (15.1°/1.4°C) | 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) |
| Nov | 46°/26°F (7.6°/-3.4°C) | 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) |
| Dec | 32°/13°F (0.2°/-10.8°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in West Virginia than Vermont?
On average West Virginia is about 22% less expensive than Vermont, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to West Virginia?
Budget about $14,589 for 3 months in West Virginia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is West Virginia safe?
Vermont generally does better on safety, though West Virginia leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in West Virginia compared to Vermont?
Vermont performs better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in West Virginia compared to Vermont?
The average high temperature in Charleston is 73°F, compared to 56°F in Montpelier. Charleston receives around 44.4 in of rainfall per year, while Montpelier gets 42.4 in.
