Considering on Moving to Morgantown WW. (Fairmont, Cheat Lake: best neighborhoods, real estate, rent)

[teneyckt]

Hello All,

My wife and I along with our infant son are considering upon moving to Morgantown W. Virginia area. My company is working on a contract out that way and they are recruiting people within the firm to transfer to the area sometime next year.

We currently work in the N. Virginia area just outside of Wash. D.C. where as you can guess it has become much to expensive and congested to live. We would both like information concerning the state school rankings compared to the U.S. as a whole.

In addition, we would appreciate any general information you could offer concerning the best neighborhoods and areas in and around Morgantown and/or Fairmont to live and what to do concerning theaters, museums, parks, sporting events to include golf etc. I have researched some of the websites using the various search engines and have found that housing is significantly cheaper in W. Virginia then here in N. Virginia.
Are white color jobs fairly easy to find, as both of us are college graduates an have been in the workforce for a number of years. My wife is an occupational therapist and a Asst. Director for the therapy department of the hospital for which she works.

What areas would I want to concentrate on in or around Morgantown area as my office will be located in Fairmont? I will be working as you may guess as a government contractor which is what I do now. Concerning homes, we are looking for single family with a yard in an established tree lined neighborhood 15-30 minutes commute from work for both me and my wife.

We thank anyone in advance for any local information that you may be able pass on to us.

Thank you.

[harleybear22]

Morgantown is a big party school. I'd suggest either Westover or Star City to those with children. I have heard from a friend that moved up there that real estate isn't as expensive since most people are college students and just rent. I think she got a house at South Park. I wouldn't suggest living right in morgantown. I'm sure you could find a good real estate agent in the area that would be able to give you the safer areas. But from living there 2 years...Morgantown is basically one big college campus. Not sure how people not going to school there can tolerate that myself. Fairmont has a higher cost of living I believe. Rent is a little higher there and I'm sure real estate is too. But they have been building some really nice homes in fairmont. Be careful choosing a place that you have to use Interstate 79 to commute. This stretch is pretty dangerous and there's a lot of wrecks. Best of luck!

[GARYBRN]

We lived in Morgantown for a while and found it to be a wonderful place to live. Even with all the younger college students there seemed to be very little problem with crime or that sort of thing.

Compared to N. VA Morgantown is probably heaven! Great mountain views and a great college football team. 60,000+ people are known to show up for WVU college games at their stadium.

I don't think it makes really any difference where you live in Morgantown, anyhere we went we met mostly friendly people.

Beware, WV pay rates are not the same as elsewhere!

Good luck.

[dave52306]

i am most likely attending West Virginia University and was wondering if anyone could tell me how everything works over there?? thank you

[taohofpoohness]

If you want to live within city limits I would suggest checking into the Westover area <I have lived in that area for over 14 yrs>. If your looking for something outside the city limits but still close to everything, I suggest:

Harmony Grove
Laurel Point
Cheat Lake
Rt. 73 <midway between Morgantown & Fairmont>

Because we are a college town, there are lots of things to do here. We have the Creative Arts Center <CAC>, WV Public Theatre and Morgantown Arts Center <MAC>, Lakeview Resort & Golf Course, Mountaineer Golf Course, 3 local parks <2 w/ pools>, a walking/biking trail along the river, and numerous other things.

As far as employment goes in the Morgantown area, we have 2 hospitals, Ruby Memorial <the largest> and Monongalia General, and Healthworks Rehab and Fitness. Your wife may check into these for employment. We also have a large pharmaceutical company based in Morgantown <Mylan>.

Morgantown ranked in the top 5 of the best small towns in the U.S. to live.

I hope this information helps. If I can be of any further help, please let me know.

[adam36]

I whole-heartedly suggest living in the South Park neighborhood. I moved to WV in Feb, 2007 and moved straight to South Park. All of my neighbors are families, so I never have to deal with students and parties, and I am within walking distance of downtown (the Warner theatre, many restaurants, the Met). However, if the job is in Fairmont, I hear that homes are much cheaper there, despite the fact that the town appears to be very poor (no offense, just my casual observation from two visits).