Living in Romney, WV
Hampshire County
Romney is a real, genuinely distinct Hampshire County seat -- the oldest incorporated town in West Virginia, tied with Shepherdstown, chartered December 23, 1762 -- located in the state's Potomac Highlands/South Branch Valley region. This record discloses Romney's geography honestly: while Hampshire County is sometimes loosely grouped with West Virginia's fast-growing Eastern Panhandle, it functions more distinctly as part of the Potomac Highlands, geographically adjacent to but functionally and economically distinct from the core, DC-commuter-driven Eastern Panhandle counties (Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan) detailed in west-virginia.js. Romney's population ran approximately 1,750 in 2026, with a median household income of approximately $49,286 and a poverty rate of approximately 25.91% -- both running less favorably than West Virginia's own statewide median household income. Romney's own housing runs affordable relative to national figures at a median property value of approximately $184,400 (2024, up a real, disclosed 22.9% from 2023's $150,000 -- a possibly volatile single-year figure this record flags rather than presents as a stable trend), paired with a genuinely low property tax profile -- Hampshire County's own rate (0.52% per Ownwell, with a second source citing 0.40%) runs below West Virginia's own statewide figures. Hampshire Memorial Hospital (Valley Health System) is the real, documented largest employer in Hampshire County, and the county plays a real, significant regional role in West Virginia's poultry industry alongside four neighboring counties.
Explore Romney in depth
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Hampshire County level this session. West Virginia's top state income tax rate is 4.58%. See the West Virginia hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Romney-specific.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
West Virginia's oldest incorporated town status (chartered 1762), a real, genuine, distinct historical identity; a genuinely low property tax profile (Hampshire County's own rate running below West Virginia's already-low statewide figures); a real, named largest local employer (Hampshire Memorial Hospital) and a significant regional poultry-agriculture economy.
Cons
A real, disclosed below-state-median household income ($49,286) and a poverty rate (25.91%) running above several comparison points; a real, disclosed cross-source spread in both housing-appreciation figures (a possibly volatile 22.9% single-year jump) and property-tax rates this record does not resolve to one confident number; and a real, disclosed distinction from the Eastern Panhandle's stronger DC-commuter growth dynamics that some prospective movers may mistakenly assume applies here.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits movers drawn to genuine historical distinction, a low property-tax profile, and a small, rural Potomac Highlands county-seat setting -- provided they confirm current, specific income and job-market conditions directly given Hampshire County's real, disclosed economic indicators.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers expecting Eastern Panhandle-level DC-commuter growth and amenities -- Romney's Hampshire County functions as a distinct Potomac Highlands market, and this record discloses that distinction honestly rather than conflating the two regions.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert