The Town FilesGrafton, West Virginia
City in Taylor County · population 4,722 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $74,600
- Household income
- $40,402
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 37.8
Grafton is a city of 4,722 people in Taylor County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $74,600, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks more of a college town than 73% of West Virginia towns.
How Grafton 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 Grafton is worth $74,600, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $40,402, which is more affordable than 84% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $512 a month. 76.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grafton | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $74,600 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $512 | $811 |
| Median household income | $40,402 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 76.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Grafton
| People | Grafton | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.2% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.9% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Grafton
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 21.2°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grafton since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 7, 1967 about 3.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2016.
Severe weather in Taylor County since 1996
Taylor County has been included in 20 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 |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2018 | Mud/Landslide | DR-4359: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 18, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4331: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Taylor County
Taylor County had 3,399 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,397 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Grafton itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Grafton
3 public schools with 1,794 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grafton High School | 9-12 | 666 | 14.5 |
| Taylor County Middle School | 5-8 | 651 | 12.5 |
| Anna Jarvis Elementary School | PK-4 | 477 | 14.0 |
Towns near Grafton
- Pleasant Valley, WV10.8 mi · 3,498 people · home $213,600
- Fairmont, WV11.8 mi · 18,416 people · home $163,800
- Bridgeport, WV12.4 mi · 9,336 people · home $291,600
- Philippi, WV13.5 mi · 2,929 people · home $114,500
- Clarksburg, WV19.1 mi · 16,061 people · home $129,900
- Brookhaven, WV19.7 mi · 5,707 people · home $261,000
- Kingwood, WV20.0 mi · 2,980 people · home $162,000
- Westover, WV20.3 mi · 3,955 people · home $178,400
Grafton questions
Is Grafton, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grafton scores better for retirees than 31% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 57%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Grafton?
The median owner-occupied home in Grafton is valued at $74,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $40,402, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $512 a month.
What is the weather like in Grafton?
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 21.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 25.5 inches of snow.
Does Grafton get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grafton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 7, 1967. 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)