Pros and Cons of Living in Lewisburg

Lewisburg's core trade-off pairs a genuine culinary/small-town identity and low taxes against a real, disclosed mixed crime signal and regional flood-risk history.

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Pro: a real, current culinary and small-town identity

A fourth consecutive 'Best Small Town Food Scene' win (2026) and 15 years as 'America's Coolest Small Town' give Lewisburg a genuine, ongoing distinction most WV Tier B towns do not carry.

Pro: genuinely affordable housing and low property tax

A cited $222,079 median home price and Ownwell's 0.56% effective property tax rate both run well below national benchmarks.

Con: a real, genuinely mixed crime signal

An overall crime rate higher than 87% of West Virginia's own communities is a real, disclosed trade-off this record does not soften, even as violent crime specifically runs below the national average.

Con: regional flash-flood risk

Greenbrier County was among the areas hardest hit by WV's catastrophic 2016 floods -- a real, disclosed consideration for valley or river-adjacent properties near Lewisburg.

Key takeaways

Pro: a real, current 4th-straight 'Best Small Town Food Scene' win and 15-year 'coolest small town' distinction.
Pro: genuinely affordable housing (~$222,079) and low property tax (0.56% effective rate).
Con: a real, genuinely mixed crime signal -- overall rate higher than 87% of WV communities.
Con: real, regionally significant flash-flood risk, illustrated by Greenbrier County's 2016 flood history.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.