The Town FilesPhilippi, West Virginia
City in Barbour County · population 2,929 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,500
- Household income
- $45,879
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 36.5
Philippi is a city of 2,929 people in Barbour County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $114,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of West Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of West Virginia towns, better for retirees than 78% of West Virginia towns.
How Philippi 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 Philippi is worth $114,500, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $45,879, which is more affordable than 52% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 56.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Philippi | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,500 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $775 | $811 |
| Median household income | $45,879 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 56.5% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Philippi
| People | Philippi | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.5% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.6% | 86.7% |
Weather in Philippi
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 51.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Philippi since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 22, 2026 about 8.7 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 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 2, 1988.
Severe weather in Barbour County since 1996
Barbour County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Flood | DR-4932: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
| March 31, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4210: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Barbour County
Barbour County had 3,995 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,157 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Philippi itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Public schools in Philippi
3 public schools with 1,254 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Barbour High School Complex | 9-12 | 589 | 14.7 |
| Philippi Elementary School | PK-4 | 394 | 17.1 |
| Philippi Middle School | 5-8 | 271 | 12.3 |
Towns near Philippi
- Grafton, WV13.5 mi · 4,722 people · home $74,600
- Buckhannon, WV14.3 mi · 5,186 people · home $158,100
- Bridgeport, WV14.9 mi · 9,336 people · home $291,600
- Elkins, WV18.7 mi · 6,934 people · home $152,700
- Clarksburg, WV18.7 mi · 16,061 people · home $129,900
- Pleasant Valley, WV21.9 mi · 3,498 people · home $213,600
- Weston, WV23.3 mi · 3,952 people · home $105,300
- Fairmont, WV23.4 mi · 18,416 people · home $163,800
Philippi questions
Is Philippi, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Philippi scores better for retirees than 78% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 9%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Philippi?
The median owner-occupied home in Philippi is valued at $114,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,879, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Philippi?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.6 inches of precipitation a year and 46.5 inches of snow.
Does Philippi get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Philippi since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 22, 2026. 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)