Moving to West Virginia from Wyoming

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Wyoming to West Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Wyoming to West Virginia, you would find that West Virginia is 14.5% cheaper than Wyoming. A $75,000 salary in Wyoming would need to be roughly $60,592 in West Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Charleston averages 73°F vs 58°F in Cheyenne, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Wyoming and West Virginia.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $60,592

To maintain the same standard of living in West Virginia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.6% less

Groceries

pay 7.4% less

Transportation

pay 5.8% less

Housing

pay 14.8% less

Childcare

pay 41.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Wyoming.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WY
190
WV
266
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WY
1458
WV
1198

Wyoming generally does better on safety, though West Virginia leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

WY
11.2%
WV
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WY
34.6%
WV
40.5%

Wyoming generally does better on health & wellbeing, though West Virginia leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

WY
$285,100
WV
$155,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WY
$968
WV
$850

West Virginia performs significantly better than Wyoming across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WY
89.3%
WV
84.7%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WY
18 min
WV
27 min

Wyoming performs better than West Virginia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WY
3.6%
WV
4.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WY
$67,568
WV
$46,834

Wyoming performs better than West Virginia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

WY
76.3 yrs
WV
72.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

WY
20%
WV
17%

Wyoming 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.

Cheyenne Rain: 15.9 in/yr (405 mm)
58° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Charleston Rain: 44.4 in/yr (1128 mm)
73° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Cheyenne Charleston
Jan–Mar 42°/20°F (6°/-6°C) 61°/47°F (16°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/40°F (18°/4°C) 79°/67°F (26°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/52°F (26°/11°C) 85°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/25°F (9°/-4°C) 67°/54°F (20°/12°C)
View all months
Month Cheyenne Charleston
Jan 40°/18°F (4.2°/-7.8°C) 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C)
Feb 40°/19°F (4.7°/-7.4°C) 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C)
Mar 47°/24°F (8.6°/-4.2°C) 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C)
Apr 55°/31°F (12.7°/-0.7°C) 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C)
May 65°/40°F (18.2°/4.6°C) 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C)
Jun 75°/49°F (24.1°/9.4°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C)
Jul 83°/56°F (28.6°/13.1°C) 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C)
Aug 81°/54°F (27.3°/12.3°C) 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C)
Sep 72°/45°F (22.1°/7.1°C) 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C)
Oct 59°/34°F (14.9°/1.1°C) 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C)
Nov 47°/24°F (8.1°/-4.3°C) 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C)
Dec 38°/17°F (3.4°/-8.2°C) 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in West Virginia than Wyoming?

On average West Virginia is about 19% less expensive than Wyoming, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to West Virginia?

Budget about $15,148 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?

Wyoming generally does better on safety, though West Virginia leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in West Virginia compared to Wyoming?

Wyoming generally does better on health & wellbeing, though West Virginia leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in West Virginia compared to Wyoming?

The average high temperature in Charleston is 73°F, compared to 58°F in Cheyenne. Charleston receives around 44.4 in of rainfall per year, while Cheyenne gets 15.9 in.

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