better town to live...morgantown or wheeling? (Fairmont, Moundsville: crime rate, best school)

[newjerseyette]

Can anyone give info on either of these towns as far as family living with small children and the better school system. TIA

[David Kennedy]

Both are good. Wheeling has the best athletic Catholic Schools but Morgantown's Catholic school is brand new...Wheeling has everything but the crazy WVU traffic...
public schools...a toss-up...If I had to choose...Morgantown because of the cutting edge medical facilities...the traffic can be avoided...and a person can drive the distance to Cabella's...good luck

[WVUPharm2007]

I actually like both towns, too. Morgantown is bigger after you factor in the students, there are more things to do, it has all of the interesting quirks of a college town, it has a much more diversified populace, and it is growing pretty fast. Wheeling has lower housing costs and is closer to a major city, Pittsburgh (though Morgantown is only 20 miles further away).

As far as schools, I can attest that the Morgantown public school system is pretty darn good. I have no idea about the Wheeling school system.

Personally I like Morgantown more, I'm young, like the college atmosphere...but they are both nice.

[CannonballRun]

High Schoolers will need to be taking some university courses and programs to make up for the inadequacies of high school programs. There are no schools in America that are on par with the rest of the world regardless of school system. Morgantown has the university and some real interest in improving the downtown. You can also go to university football games and other sponsored events for additional entertainment.

[David Kennedy]

The West Virginia School System allows and encourages High School Junior and Seniors to get a head start into college and take courses while in High School.

Has been done at Fairmont Senior High School for years.

One of the features of the NEW internet library at Marshall University is its enabling high school students in the local region plus Kentucky to have access to a state of the art UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.
It is one of TWO in the country. Having beat out UCLA with it service by six months.
It is a feature that should be copied quickly by FSU AND WVU.
The Marshall alumni funded it to the tune of $35 million...Way to go HERD! Lets stop the DUMBING of America.

[SteelersFan09]

I grew up in Wheeling,and I've spent quite a bit of time visiting Morgantown and I would have to tip my cap to Wheeling as far as a family with small children goes. I certainly may be a little biased because it is my hometown,but I really enjoyed my childhood there. I received a good education and enjoyed the safe, laid-back nature and lifestyle of the place. I'm not saying you wouldn't have that in Morgantown,but I do think being in one of the biggest,if not the biggest, stereotypical college towns in American might not be the best for younger kids at times.

[WV gram]

Originally Posted by newjerseyette

Can anyone give info on either of these towns as far as family living with small children and the better school system. TIA

If interested, the county below Wheeling (Ohio Co.) which would be Marshall County is an excellant place to raise small children and the school system there is really a good system. I have raised my (now-grown) children there, in the town of Moundsville and so has my sister. We are now watching our grandchildren grow up and are very happy with the school system. I have a niece who works at the Board of Education in Marshall Co. and hear all reports of the workings of the system and they are good reports. It is less expensive to live in Marshall Co. than in Ohio Co. and the crime rate is low. Also, the people are very friendly and helpful and neighbors are there when you need them but do not bother you. I am not that familiar with living conditions in Morgantown, but it is a college town and I would wonder about certain things in such an environment. Being in the northern panhandle of WV such as Moundsville, you are so centrally located to Ohio, and Pa. that you have the advantage of a small town, and also being in bigger cities in a matter of minutes. Hope this has helped.

[annettervk]

I've lived in both Morgantown and Wheeling and gone to school in both places. Wheeling Park High School is definitely the better high school. There are two parks in Wheeling that are really nice as well.
Morgantown is more of a college town. The best school system in Morgantown would be North Elementry and then Suncrest Middle. Neither high school is very good. And the traffic in Morgantown is a nightmare when the college students are in town.
My suggestion for people with small children is to live in Wheeling.
Good luck and God bless!