Rank

2237of 3,144

Wetzel, West Virginia

Score 5.84 / 10· population 13,890

About 13,900 people live in Wetzel, West Virginia. It ranks #2,237 of 3,144 counties for liberty, and #51 of 55 in West Virginia. The combined sales tax is 6%, lower than in 62% of counties. Property tax takes about 0.57% of a home's value each year, less than in 69% of counties. Local government employs a larger share of working residents than in 91% of counties. The homicide rate is lower than in 76% of counties. Life expectancy is about 70.2 years, shorter than in 93% of counties. Air quality is worse than in 61% of counties (a typical day's air quality index is 43), and flood and hurricane risk is higher than in 68% of counties. On this site's state scores, West Virginia gets 5.5 of 10 for economic freedom, based on the Fraser Institute's ranking, and 10 of 10 for gun rights.

v4 — beta, 30 October 2026, sourced values

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Eleven factors

Government behavior

  1. Fraser Institute state ranking (state)5.5
  2. 2A (state)10.0
  3. GOP + LP vote for President7.7
  4. Sales tax4.5
  5. Property tax7.2

Environment

  1. Air quality5.7
  2. Floods / hurricanes2.2

Private behavior

  1. Homicide rate9.7
  2. Life expectancy0.2
  3. Government employees0.7
  4. Single-parent households2.2

Neighbors