Friendly and Inexpensive
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10/31/2006
Parkersburg, West Virginia is a small city of about 30,000-plus people situated on the Ohio River. Most of the people live in neighboring Vienna or in the surrounding suburban areas. Parkersburg has a nice main library, a used bookstore in the old Carnegie Library, good schools, and two good local hospitals. Traffic can be a pain especially along Grand Avenue, but there are plenty of places to eat along the way. Most neighborhoods are nice although there are some trashy spots closer to downtown. There are also many older Victorian homes. Violent crime is low here. Weather is mild temperature-wise in the fall and winter although January and February can be very cold. Heavy snowfall is rare and doesn't usually happen until December at the earliest. Strong but brief thunderstorms are common in the summer, which is hot and humid. Downtown has a few bars, a community theater, and the oil & gas museum. During the fall you can go to the Volcano Days festival or tour Blennerhasset Island, where you can see the mansion, which was rebuilt in the 1980's. If you want inexpensive living and a friendly area, Parkersburg is a good place to be.
Matthew | Parkersburg, WV