Relocation profile · Federal data
Beckley, WV
LiveAbility 67.9/100 places Beckley #10 of 387 (top third of scored metros).
- 88.4
- Cost index (US=100)
- $915
- 2BR rent / mo
- $56,994
- Median salary
- 67.9
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Beckley ranks #10 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (67.9/100), with its strongest marks in safety and housing.
- #10
- of 387 US metros · Excellent
- 1,769,979
- metro-area population
- 242
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 648
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: job market (3/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Beckley ranks #10 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 88.4 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $915/mo, median salary $56,994; LiveAbility Score 67.9/100, strongest in safety and housing.
Signature: LiveAbility 67.9/100 places Beckley #10 of 387 (top third of scored metros).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 88.4 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $915/mo.
LiveAbility 67.9/100 puts Beckley in the top third (#10 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the Beckley area is 37,740.
Beckley vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
68 Top 3% higher than 97% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
Beckley housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the Beckley MSA; housing RPP 52.2 (100 = national average); 2BR $915/mo.
Beckley wages and employment
Beckley posts 37,740 total employment with median salary $56,994 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $26,910 |
| Retail Salespersons | $27,630 |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 |
| Cashiers | $24,650 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $22,370 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the Beckley area from NCES.
Childcare Costs
State-average childcare costs for the Beckley area (DOL data).
Life Score Breakdown
Beckley's composite Life Score is 62.9/100 (C), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →Beckley ranks #10 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 67.9/100 - a composite of 7 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized). Customize the weights to match your priorities →
Beckley - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Safety
Safety
100 /100
- Housing
Housing
99 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
85 /100
- Schools
Schools
79 /100
- Low hazard
Low hazard
72 /100
- Climate 26
Climate
26 /100
- Job market 3
Job market
3 /100
What this shows Beckley's strongest dimensions are safety and housing; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 3/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%; this metro uses 7 of 8 dims with renormalized weights.
Compare Beckley to
Metros near Beckley on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Beckley on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Beckley cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Beckley wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about Beckley?
Beckley runs a $56,994 median salary at a 88.4 cost index, ranking #10 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what Beckley's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put Beckley head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Beckley
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.