The Town FilesBluefield, West Virginia
City in Mercer County · population 9,658 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $105,400
- Household income
- $49,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 45.0
Bluefield is a city of 9,658 people in Mercer County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $105,400, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of West Virginia towns, more walkable than 90% of West Virginia towns, hipper than 83% of West Virginia towns.
- #1 in 23 Small Towns in West Virginia With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #7 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #7 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in West Virginia
- #7 in The 21 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in West Virginia
- #8 in The 13 Most Affordable Small Towns in West Virginia
How Bluefield ranks
Percentile among West Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of West Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bluefield is worth $105,400, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $49,375, which is more affordable than 70% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $804 a month. 65.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bluefield | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $105,400 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $804 | $811 |
| Median household income | $49,375 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 65.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Bluefield
| People | Bluefield | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.5% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.6% | 86.7% |
Weather in Bluefield
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 45.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.7 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Bluefield since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 8, 2019.
Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996
Mercer County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 26, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4861: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 9, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4851: Post-Tropical Storm Helene |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Mercer County
Mercer County had 19,314 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,193 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Bluefield itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Bluefield
7 public schools with 2,353 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield High School | 9-12 | 639 | 18.3 |
| Bluefield Middle School | 6-8 | 425 | 13.3 |
| Bluefield Primary School | PK-2 | 358 | 13.8 |
| Bluefield Intermediate School | 3-5 | 303 | 15.2 |
| Mountain Valley Elementary School | PK-5 | 283 | 11.3 |
| Brushfork Elementary School | K-5 | 175 | 13.5 |
| Bluewell Elementary School | PK-5 | 170 | 12.1 |
Towns near Bluefield
- Bluefield, VA4.0 mi · 5,096 people · home $152,500
- Princeton, WV9.7 mi · 5,872 people · home $120,300
- Tazewell, VA18.7 mi · 4,486 people · home $111,700
- Wytheville, VA22.4 mi · 8,265 people · home $196,800
- Welch, WV23.8 mi · 3,590 people · home $57,300
- Pearisburg, VA27.0 mi · 2,909 people · home $157,400
- Pulaski, VA28.7 mi · 8,985 people · home $160,500
Bluefield questions
Is Bluefield, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bluefield scores better for retirees than 56% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 16%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Bluefield?
The median owner-occupied home in Bluefield is valued at $105,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,375, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $804 a month.
What is the weather like in Bluefield?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.4 inches of precipitation a year and 39.7 inches of snow.
Does Bluefield get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Bluefield in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)