Huntington, WV
Houses in Huntington
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What do I Need to Know About Buying a House in Huntington, West Virginia?
If you are considering buying a house in Huntington, WV, you should learn a bit about the place first. It is a wide-open city with plenty of undeveloped land still to build on. That helps keep the housing prices down, despite the speed at which the city is growing. Almost all areas of the city are extremely family friendly, as well.
In this article, we’ll talk about where to find Huntington, WV house for sale. We’ll look at a few of the trendiest parts of the city in detail, and discuss what makes each of these neighborhoods special. We’ll look at Huntington’s geography and demographics, and explore what people in the city do for fun.
History of Huntington
History of Huntington
Huntington got its start as a small settlement called Holderby’s Landing. However, when the C&O Railroad came through the region, that spot was chosen as its western terminus. Because of its location at the mouth of the Guyandotte River just between Twelve Pole Crook and the Ohio River, it would make an ideal transshipment port. Once the railroad was completed in 1873, it provided a viral rail link between the Ohio River Valley and the James River at Richmond. Huntington was the second American city to get electric streetcars (after San Francisco). A great flood in 1937 led to the creation of massive flood walls. The city endured a recurring boom and bust cycle before diversifying its industry and economy in the 1980s, with a heavy focus on biotech and healthcare, but also in education and the services sector generally. The early 2000s saw a renaissance of Huntington’s downtown, after decades of urban renewal finally began to bear fruit.
Things to do in Huntington
Things to do in Huntington
Anyone seeking Huntington, WV houses for sale would do well to explore the green land in and around the city as well. For example there is great hiking – or strolling – in Harris Riverfront Park, which is in downtown Huntington. It is also a venue for shows and fairs. Ritter Park offers several walking and cycling trails around (and often over) Ritter Creek. The Paul Ambrose Train for Health (PATH) is a continuously growing biking and pedestrian trail system that extends through much of the city.
Anyone looking at a house in Huntington should know about the city’s geographical location, and how that affects living there. Huntingtin is sited in far southwest West Virginia, in the Western Allegheny Plateau. This puts it just the other side of the Ohio border, and very near Kentucky. The city is located at the mouth of the Guyandotte River just between Twelve Pole Crook and the Ohio River. This made it an ideal railroad/river trade transshipment port in its early years. Interestingly, the modern neighborhood of Guyandotte was a French settlement of the same name, absorbed as the town expanded in 1891. Before you buy a house in Huntington, WV, though, consider what kind of area you want to live in and who you might want your neighbors to be. Would you rather live near downtown and the river, or in the less urban edges, for example? A few of the most exciting neighborhoods in the city include: Huntington Neighborhoods Highlawn This neighborhood is just northeast of the city center, in a bend of the river. It has a median real estate price of just under $108,000, putting it in the bottom 10% of US neighborhoods for price, and in the bottom 30% for West Virginia. It is a great place for buying a house in Huntington, especially if you are hoping to get a lot for your money. It has a suburban feel with many small to medium single-family homes and small apartment buildings, as well as a few prominent high-rises. The vacancy rate is quite high at more than 19%, so you will likely have your pick of several locations. Enslow Park The Enslow Park neighborhood is another good spot to find Huntington, WV houses for sale and other inexpensive properties. Expect to pay around $105,000 for an average property. Most of the residential buildings are single-family units, but you’ll see the occasional apartment building or high-rise as well. Few were built later than 1970, and some are much older. The vacancy rate here is fairly high, at 22%. That should give you room to negotiate on price, or at least to take some time to shop around for the best deals. West Pea Ridge If you are looking to buy a house in Huntington, WV far from downtown, try in the region around West Pea Ridge. It is a pricy neighborhood for Huntington, with median real estate values around $214,000. This puts it in the upper 25% of the state, but in the lower 35% nationally. This is a popular place to live, and vacancy rates are near the national average at 8.5%. Southeast Hills Another good spot for buying a house in Huntington is the Southeast Hills neighborhood. Just south of Guyandotte along the Midland Trail, this is a relatively affluent area with median prices in the range of $164,000. Buildings tend to be large and owner-occupied. Vacancy rates are very low, though, at just 1.5%. This is a very popular part of the city in which to live, so you might struggle to find something you like up for sale. If you do, you might want to act quickly.
Huntington demographics
Huntington demographics
Huntington’s population as of the 2020 census was 46,842. This is actually down from 49,138 in 2010, before the shift of population into the suburbs was reversed in the latter 2010s. Still, this means there is plenty of extra capacity in the city as it stands, and plenty of plots for houses in Huntington.
Just under 88% of Huntington residents over the age of 25 have high school diplomas, and just over 29% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income was $33,02 in 2020, which seems very low until you realize the cost of living there. For example, the median value of owner-occupied housing units at the same time was only $100,300.
Arts in Huntington
Arts in Huntington
Huntington has a complex mix of cultures, as is to be expected by its location and diversity. It is at a confluence of mid-Atlantic culture, midwestern culture, southern culture and Appalachian culture. Anyone looking to buy a house in Huntington, WV will be able to explore all of these in the city’s festivals and fairs. These include events like the West Virginia Day Celebration, Tsubasacon, Tri-State Comic Con, the St. Patrick's Day Celebration, the St. George Greek Festival, Ritter Park Days, the Rails and Ales Festival, the Pilot Club of Huntington's Antique Show and Sale, Old Central City Days, the Middle Eastern/Ethiopian Dinner, the Lions Tri-State Arts & Crafts Festival, Jazz-MU-Tazz, the Huntington Music & Arts Festival, the Hilltop Festival, Guyandotte Heritage Days, the West Virginia Hot Dog Festival, Guyandotte Civil War Days and Chilifest.
Schools in Huntington
Schools in Huntington
The city’s great educational system is one of the things making Huntington, WV houses so popular. It has many great schools at all levels, including Huntington High School, Cabell Midland High School, Spring Valley High School, Cabell County Career Technology Center, the St. Joseph Catholic School and Grace Christian School. Colleges and universities in and around Huntington include the Tri-State Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, St. Mary's Medical Center's Schools of Medical Imaging, Nursing, and Respiratory Care, Mountwest Community & Technical College, Marshall University and Huntington Junior College.
Why Huntington?
Why Huntington?
Maybe. Buying a house in Huntington, WV would be a great choice for some people, but not everyone. It is just pulling itself out of difficult economic times, so it will appear underdeveloped in a few ways. On the other hand, that means real estate is very inexpensive even in the best neighborhoods, and if things go well the prices should increase dramatically as the city grows. That seems to be why many are seeking a house in Huntington, at least.
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