---
title: 'Runner-Up: Morgantown, West Virginia'
description: 'Key Stats: Population: 30,700 Over 50: 19% Cost-of-living index: 102 Pros: Home to West Virginia University, Morgantown offers budget-friendly restaurants, entertainment, and plenty of continuing-education…'
authors:
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    url: https://money.com/author/amassamoney/
    at_money_since: 2014
    former_staff: true
published: '2014-10-23T20:45:29.000Z'
modified: '2014-10-23T20:45:29.000Z'
section: Retirement
tags:
  - best places to retire
  - morgantown
  - West Virginia
canonical: https://money.com/collection-post/runner-up-morgantown-west-virginia/
type: Article
source: structured-blocks
---

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![141021_iGAT11_L](https://img.money.com/2014/10/igat11_l1.jpg)
*Morgantown’s Coopers Rock State Forest*

### **Key Stats:**

-   **Population:** 30,700
-   **Over 50:** 19%
-   **Cost-of-living index:** 102

**Pros:** Home to West Virginia University, Morgantown offers budget-friendly restaurants, entertainment, and plenty of continuing-education opportunities. The city is also notable for its robust job market and low property taxes.

Morgantown has excellent public transportation and lots of walkable areas. The historic downtown is a particularly pleasant spot to explore on foot; the Metropolitan Theater, which has played host to legends like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, is a standout. For a more bucolic day, residents may head to the WVU Core Arboretum, which spans 91 acres, or to Cheat Lake for boating, fishing, or a leisurely swim.

**Cons:** At nearly $200,000, median home prices are affordable but higher than the state average. As in many college towns, some neighborhoods surrounding WVU’s campus are known for being noisy.

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