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Originally Posted by eok
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Charleston vs other WV cities? Are houses cheaper or more expensive there? Are there a lot of crime, gangs, meth, homeless alcoholics, etc.? Are the doctors more or less competent than in other cities and states? Are there a lot of sleazy lawyers there, and corrupt cops? Do you feel safe walking at night?
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I am not sure anyone here can answer that question without bias. I would feel challenged to do so and some here should not even try.
First, West Virginia does not have any true cities. We have large towns that call themselves that but they lack a lot of what most across America find a requirement to call an urban center a city. Part of it has to do with population but more of it has to do with the demographics of the existing population. It generally - imo- takes a large population in the 18-24 range that plans to live there and make a life there as the grow into 20-somethings and on into 30-somethings as they produce children. Most of the people in the that age range in West Virginia are looking for the nearest exit once school is over.
Of the towns in West Virginia that you might marginally classify as a city - Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown - each are one industry towns and that makes them one dimensional. Huntington and Morgantown are college towns with all of the good and bad that goes with that. Charleston, as the capitol is a government and business center. All three serve as retail hubs for their areas of the state but Charleston's reach in that area is probably greater since it does not sit on or near the state border where its influence ends.
Housing is probably the most expensive in Morgantown, corrupt land lords and astronomically overpriced roach-infested hovels abound. To its credit, the city is trying to crush that activity but it is an uphill battle and it is not going to end any time soon. Units added to the stock, do not reduce the average cost and often slightly raise it because of the newer amenities included. Housing would be enough to keep me out of Morgantown even though the town has many, many other wonderful perks.
Charleston is probably the next expensive housing market, but for a different reason. Much of Charleston is owned by out-of-state trusts that mire the legal recourse of the city to redevelop. as a result new housing happens almost exclusively outside the city limits - which are not large. Charleston legal footprint is very tiny and it is sits in a 30 mile long valley with many other satellite towns such as Dunbar, Cross Lanes, South Charleston, Nitro, St Albans, Montgomery, Rand, Belle, Chesapeake, Marmet, Pinch, etc... This can give the valley a larger feel and provide a better value in housing.
Huntington probably has the cheapest housing, even though it is a college town. Marshall is about a 3rd the size of WVU and Huntington is larger than Morgantown and thus Marshall has a smaller impact on the housing cost. It still has the shabby stock of college hovels but they are clustered nearer to Marshall leaving the rest of the town less affected.
Medically, Huntington is a distant 3rd to either Charleston or Morgantown and it is an argument which of those two cities has the better health system. Ruby versus Charleston Area Medical. I think CAMC is bigger and better than Ruby, but as I said, that can lead to a debate with good points on both sides. St Mary's and Cable Midland in Huntington do ok but that duo is a far cry from the competition. Still they serve Huntington well and then Huntington also has the VA hospital.
Sleazy Lawyers? I did not know there was any other kind. Charleston probably wins that category as the worst simply for being what it is, the business and governmental center of the state. Where Huntington and Morgantown have aging or squat office towers the 2 dozen office towers in Charleston gleam with glass sided buildings housing many law firms. Charleston wins the sleazy lawyer race hands down.
Crime and feeling safe at night. I don't think I feel unsafe walking any where in any of these towns day or night. But that is not to say there is no crime. There was once a time when West Virginia cities were paragons of safety and crime-free living but the 1980s had to end. Crime in West Virginia is tied to the demographics of the town. Morgantown has most of its crime tied to the college age perpetrator. You can imagine that sort of issues they get into. Charleston and Huntington crime is imported. Generally if something is in the news, the name of Detroit comes up in the first couple of sentences almost ever time.
I know a few State Troopers and I was chatting with them the other day about the go-pro drone problem that is starting to be recognized in Charleston and crime in general came up. It is not politically correct to say it but they at least have the perception that if you are not black, do not have black associations and do not interact in the drug trade, there is virtually no incident of crime in your life. It is a very racist thing to say, but I think it is also very true. Sad that. Criminologist are big on patterns and profiling and the data seems to lead to disturbing aspects that those with a social conscious feel uncomfortable admitting: crime in West Virginia is either Black, drug related and most of the time, both.
I am sure others will offer views far different from my own and that is really what you are looking for, a collage of views that give a clearer picture. Good luck.
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