Parkersburg, West Virginia

What It Is Like to Retire in Parkersburg

Parkersburg is a city of approximately 30,000 residents, and located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers. The historical town is named after Alexander Parker who was granted the land for his Revolutionary War service, and Parkersburg also served as a transportation and medical center for the Union forces during the American Civil War. Parkersburg is the County seat of Wood County and home to multiple museums and historic sites, along with schools of higher education including West Virgina University at Parkersburg. Picture of Downtown Parkersburg as viewed from Fort Boreman Historical Park courtesy of Wikipedia and Mgoudy85 ( in the public domain); photo of Aerial view the Ohio River from Parkersburg courtesy of Wikipedia and Josh Stapler; photo of Entrance to WVU Parkersburg, courtesy of Wikipedia and Snoopywv,Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/

Watch this short Youtube video prepared by West Virginia Tourism:

Where to Retire in Parkersburg and Home Prices

Zillow reports the median home value was $96,195 in late 2020, well below the national average.

What Is Special about Parkersburg

Parkersburg is a college town on the river and offers parks, vineyards, museums and historical sites and a low cost of living.

What Is Not Special about Parkersburg

It is a bit isolated with the nearest large city (Columbus, Ohio) 90 miles away, Pittsburgh is 115 miles away. Parkersburg has a high crime rate.

Who Will Like Retirement in Parkersburg

Retirees who want to live in a historical town with a low cost of living may enjoy living it Parkersburg. There is a hospital located here along with a library, parks, and regional airport. The town also has annual events and festivals.

Local Economy Is Driven by

The economy is driven by health care, education and retail.

Climate and Physical Environment

The January average temperature is 32 degrees, with July's average 74 degrees.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Parkersburg has several restaurants, and historical museums and sites including Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park, Blennerhassett Museum, Fort Boreman Park, Smoot Theater, and the Oil and Gas Museum.

Crime

Parkersburg has a high crime rate.

Medical facilities

Camden Clark Medical Center is located here.

Transportation

Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport is located here, and the nearest International Airport is in Columbus, Ohio, about 115 miles away.

Valuable Links

City of Parkersburg