The Town FilesWelch, West Virginia
City in McDowell County · population 3,590 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $57,300
- Household income
- $32,969
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.6
Welch is a city of 3,590 people in McDowell County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $57,300, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000).
- #2 in The 13 Most Affordable Small Towns in West Virginia
- #9 in 20 Small Towns in West Virginia With the Mildest Winters
- #10 in 23 Small Towns in West Virginia With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #17 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Cheapest Rent
- #17 in 50 Places in America With the Cheapest Rent
- #21 in The 21 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in West Virginia
How Welch 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 Welch is worth $57,300, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $32,969, which is more affordable than 87% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $441 a month. 75.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Welch | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $57,300 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $441 | $811 |
| Median household income | $32,969 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 75.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.0% | — |
Who lives in Welch
| People | Welch | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.5% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 8.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.0% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.2% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 15.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.8% | 86.7% |
Weather in Welch
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.2 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Welch since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 12, 1975 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 1975.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 9, 1980.
Severe weather in McDowell County since 1996
McDowell County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| 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 |
| November 28, 2022 | Flood | DR-4678: Severe Storms, 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 McDowell County
McDowell County had 3,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,048 a year. Unemployment was 6.4% in 2023; in Welch itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Welch
3 public schools with 769 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount View High School | 6-12 | 553 | 17.3 |
| Welch Elementary School | PK-5 | 216 | 12.7 |
| Mcdowell Career & Technology Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Welch
- Tazewell, VA21.2 mi · 4,486 people · home $111,700
- Bluefield, VA21.9 mi · 5,096 people · home $152,500
- Bluefield, WV23.8 mi · 9,658 people · home $105,400
- Richlands, VA26.4 mi · 5,261 people · home $111,000
- Princeton, WV27.5 mi · 5,872 people · home $120,300
Welch questions
Is Welch, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Welch scores better for retirees than 30% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 46%. 11.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Welch?
The median owner-occupied home in Welch is valued at $57,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,969, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $441 a month.
What is the weather like in Welch?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 24.2 inches of snow.
Does Welch get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Welch since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 12, 1975. 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)