Morgantown, WV Reviews


16 Reviews



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What BestPlaces Users Say about Morgantown

Morgantown is a city located in West Virginia, known for its scenic beauty and being home to West Virginia University. It has a population of around 30,000 people and is considered a college town with a strong sense of community. It is also known for its outdoor recreation opportunities and thriving arts and culture scene.

Summarized reviews from users on BestPlaces.net:

1) "I love living in Morgantown! As a student at WVU, it's the perfect mix of small-town charm and big city opportunities. The people here are friendly and welcoming, and there's always something to do." - SarahC

2) "Morgantown has a great balance of outdoor activities and a lively downtown. The cost of living is affordable and the schools are top-notch. It's a great place for families to raise their kids." - JohnDoe

3) "I've lived in Morgantown for over 20 years and have seen it grow into a bustling city. The job market is strong and the cost of living is reasonable. I also appreciate the diversity and cultural events in the area." - Lily81

4) "Morgantown is a beautiful place to live, surrounded by rolling hills and scenic views. However, traffic can be a nightmare and the winters can be harsh. Overall, it's a great place to call home." - MountaineerFan

Overall, the reviews of living in Morgantown are positive, with many highlighting the friendly community, affordable cost of living, and abundance of activities. However, some mentioned traffic and cold winters as potential downsides. SarahC and MountaineerFan specifically mention the strong sense of community, while JohnDoe and Lily81 emphasize the balance of outdoor recreation and urban amenities.

 based on 16 Reviews
Get to know Morgantown with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Morgantown

A Classic College Town with Big City Amenities - 6/22/2022
Morgantown is a vibrant classic American college town with a laid-back vibe. While the city and surrounding area are relatively small at about $150,000 people, residents and visitors will find a thriving restaurant and bar scene of much larger cities. In addition, being the home of West Virginia University provides the town with major college sports and cultural events as well as the occasional large concert.

A rail-trail winds its way along the Monongahela River and beyond. You will find an outdoor amphitheater along the way. The downtown area also features a weekly farmers' market. If all of this is not enough culture and entertainment for you, the major city of Pittsburgh, PA, is just 70 miles north.

Morgantown and the surrounding area offer a variety of neighborhoods and housing options. The city is surrounded by forests, rolling hills, farms, and ranches.

Coal mining and natural gas fracking are part of the overall equation as well, Read More

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Retiree view of Morgantown WV - 6/15/2015
Morgantown is a college town with many wonderful qualities, but for a retiree or someone on a fixed income, it is getting very expensive and crowded. The housing market has always been very Read More

morgantown - 11/25/2012
its a good small university town, however the cost of living varies especially rents on whether you live near to the campus or far away from wvu. there are only couple major employers. its well populated for the size of the town though and the cost is comparable to big towns like Read More

Morgantown-Native Opinion - 7/31/2012
I wholeheartedly agree. I am a WV native, born and raised. I have to say this use to be an okay place to live, but over the past ten years the college town mentality has ruined the housing market and the town as a whole. Students come here every year and trash the town and the housing that is built specifically for them. The majority of these students get a degree and leave, and this is for a good reason. There are no jobs for people with degrees in Morgantown. Almost all of the jobs are service jobs geared at the college students and those who are uneducated or undereducated, and I do not say that to say West Virginia's are dumb. West Virginia's are some of the most honest, hardworking, and friendly people you will ever meet. The problem is for the younger generation of natives or those who would like to move to Morgantown, there are only about three good places to work Mylan, the hospitals, or WVU. Apparently the competition for these jobs is fierce, because I have a Masters degree Read More

Only move here if you like clouds. - 3/9/2011
I grew up and went to college in Morgantown. Although there are many things about the city (big town) that I liked (schools were great, crime was minimal); the weather is horrible.

With about 220 days of the year being cloudy and gloomy, Morgantown can be very depressing. The sunny days are linked mostly to the summer, which is nice but that leaves 9 other months of the year where you find yourself bummed out by the grey sky.
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morgantown is a fantastic small city - 9/15/2009
just thought that anyone looking to move to morgantown might be interested in a review, so here goes...

i grew up in morgantown and i am an alumni of wvu. morgantown is a very special place--as the walt whitman award-winning poet and singer-songwriter (and former morgantown resident) ben doyle put it, "it seems everyone who leaves this town gets their name in bright lights".

this has been my experience within my group of friends and acquaintances with whom i grew up...morgantown has given us a sense of security and of adventure, allowed us to be ourselves, and from it we have developed a strong work ethic that has served us well. morgantown is safe, but not sleepy. it is secluded, but there is still a lot going on. a college town, it is multicultural (thank god) and diverse.

it is affordable, it's on the rise (somehow it has not been affected by the recent economic downturn), and it is bursting with natural beauty.

it is also Read More

Don't be fooled! - 5/19/2009
After living here for 2 years Morgantown has started to grow on me.

Con's: Housing is expensive unless you purchase an older (40+ yr old home) or condo. Since it is a University town the city doubles in size with students and they need a place to live. Think of Morgantown as land of the condos. If you are downtown near the Main Campus you may be shocked at older housing your college student may be living in.

Con's: Roads are not well maintained and winters can be harsh. Lots of 4x4's and Subaru's driven.

Con's: Very limited work opportunities for white collar. Major employers are Government, Health, and one major manufacturer. Other jobs expect low pay.
Con's: Friends you make may only be here short term while they are earning their degree's.

Pro's: Taxes are bearable.

Pro's: University brings events and concerts to town.

Pro's: Great small town feel and place to raise children. Access to 2 Read More

Complete Overview - In My Opinion - 4/23/2008
I moved here from Miami, Florida and I must say that the crime way is far less than what it was back home. Morgantown is a safe place to live. I can still leave my car door unlocked overnight and come to find everything intact. However, the crime element is coming to town. I am not sure if it is via college students or the increase of new residents but crime rates are increasing Although I must say that they are nowhere near the national average for big cities. Traffic here is terrible because every road has to pass the University and there isn't much development here outside of the University area. Also, because the population increases yearly the housing prices are way to expensive for what you get. For example, they are selling luxury townhomes (although some of the nicest I have ever seen) for $350,000 in the Suncrest Area. The downfall to that is not 50 yards away from those exact same townhomes sits a trailor court of 10 raggady trailors. To add, it is "chilly" or cold her about Read More

Parochial - 3/27/2008
It is somewhat surprising (and pretty disappointing) that a city that is home to a large university is so,... well... local. Most people working at the university grew up in WV, also went to school at WVU and now are employed by it. The incestuous (no pun intended) nature of the school means encountering narrow, entrenched and sometimes just odd people and perspectives. There are some good people but they don't tend to stay - just the locals. The University itself is not horrible, but is more or less an excuse to have a local football team.

More shopping has been added lately (Best Buy, Borders, Target) and the now (for some odd reason) have 2 Super WalMarts. Housing cost is surprisingly high for such a small town, but the Hospital, Health Science Center, and a LOT of lawyers means they can command some pretty high rents and surprisingly high home Read More

Looking for a place to live - 3/21/2008
My family will be moving to Morgantown summer '08. What is the best area in town for a family with kids? I'd like to be relatively close to WVU for work, but not living in a purely 'student' section of town. Any help?? We'll be house hunting in a couple of months there and would like to know what parts of town to look Read More

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