The Town FilesFollansbee, West Virginia
City in Brooke County · population 2,848 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,900
- Household income
- $58,371
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 52.9
Follansbee is a city of 2,848 people in Brooke County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $133,900, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of West Virginia towns, more of a college town than 94% of West Virginia towns, more walkable than 78% of West Virginia towns.
- #5 in The 21 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in West Virginia
- #13 in The 13 Most Affordable Small Towns in West Virginia
- #14 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in West Virginia
- #22 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in West Virginia
- #22 in 23 Small Towns in West Virginia With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
How Follansbee 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 Follansbee is worth $133,900, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $58,371, which is more affordable than 61% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $642 a month. 63.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Follansbee | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,900 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $642 | $811 |
| Median household income | $58,371 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 63.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Follansbee
| People | Follansbee | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.9 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.3% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.8% | 86.7% |
Weather in Follansbee
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.2 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Follansbee since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 21, 2021 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 21, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 28, 2020.
Severe weather in Brooke County since 1996
Brooke County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 24, 2024 | Flood | DR-4787: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Brooke County
Brooke County had 7,062 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,534 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Follansbee itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Follansbee
2 public schools with 413 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooke Primary School North | K-2 | 250 | 13.9 |
| Brooke Intermediate School North | 3-4 | 163 | 12.5 |
Towns near Follansbee
- Mingo Junction, OH1.4 mi · 3,347 people · home $104,000
- Hooverson Heights, WV1.7 mi · 2,582 people · home $154,600
- Steubenville, OH3.7 mi · 18,161 people · home $130,700
- Weirton, WV5.1 mi · 19,163 people · home $133,500
- Wintersville, OH6.6 mi · 3,765 people · home $141,100
- Toronto, OH8.4 mi · 5,303 people · home $108,800
- Smith, PA11.9 mi · 4,233 people · home $175,800
- Hanover, PA14.9 mi · 3,343 people · home $243,200
Follansbee questions
Is Follansbee, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Follansbee scores better for retirees than 67% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 31%. 21.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.9).
How much does a house cost in Follansbee?
The median owner-occupied home in Follansbee is valued at $133,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,371, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $642 a month.
What is the weather like in Follansbee?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 25.2 inches of snow.
Does Follansbee get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Follansbee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 21, 2021. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.
- 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)