In north-central West Virginia, a few miles of country road takes you from a high-energy college town to quiet country life.
Last week, Mountain State Spotlight and the League of Women Voters of West Virginia hosted four community listening sessions in Monongalia and Preston counties.
The pace of life might be different for residents in Morgantown and Kingwood, but many of their conversations sounded remarkably similar. Residents spoke candidly about the struggles they face and the things they value.
“We take care of other people,” said Morgantown resident Kris Potter, who has lived in the area for over 50 years.
But both counties face some of the same issues: a shortage of affordable homes, gaps in internet service, job loss and frustration over rising health care costs.
Here is what people in both counties told us.
Broadband is not ‘equitable’
For years, residents across West Virginia have complained about slow internet speeds and unreliable providers. Some have even turned to nontraditional providers like Starlink while waiting for the state to complete a $1.2 billion broadband buildout.
Kenny Kidd runs the Arthurdale Heritage Center, where old portraits of Eleanor Roosevelt dancing with residents dotted the walls. It was once home to dozens of families who lived and worked together during the early 1930s.
Kidd said the strongest internet infrastructure runs along Interstate Highway 68 in northern Preston County. He noted that internet access is slowly expanding.
“But the further south you move, there are noticeable gaps,” he said.
In Preston County, 30% of households and businesses are either underserved by or don’t have access to high-speed broadband. Meanwhile, next door, in Monongalia County, only 6% of residents are underserved or don’t have access to fast internet.
Judy Ball serves as president of the League of Women Voters in Morgantown and Monongalia County. She said there are still parts of the county without internet access, while her own neighborhood now has two different providers.
“And that really annoys me because it’s not equitable,” she said.
The Interstate and university are a lifeline
Across both counties, I-68 brings thousands of visitors from Maryland and surrounding states, and industry hubs and businesses have set up shop along the route.
But residents in Preston County say communities south of the interstate, like Kingwood, Arthurdale and Terra Alta, accessible only by two-lane roads, have been left out of major investments and economic development.
Susan Teeple lives in Bruceton Mills right along the highway.
She said it’s a small but mighty community trying hard to bring more jobs and new businesses to the area, but she still drives nearly 30 minutes back to Morgantown to shop.
In Preston County, the largest employers include county school districts, the federal prison system in Hazelton and the Mon Health system. In Monongalia County, West Virginia University plays a major role in local development, employing about 7,600 people.
But recent budget cuts have caused the university to lay off faculty and downsize departments.
Barbara Fleischauer, a former state delegate, said a close friend of hers recently lost a job at the university during what she termed “this ridiculous so-called ‘transformation.’”
She said the university’s declining enrollment could hurt the city’s economy, particularly in the downtown area where shops rely on business from students.
Sarah Cranstoun has lived in Morgantown for almost a decade.
She said the recent staff cuts at WVU have been demoralizing for many who moved to the city to work at the university and have been widespread across the county.
“I have cried in Kroger with friends after they lost jobs,” she said.
Decreased investment in public education
Statewide funding for public schools has decreased, and many students lack access to school resources. More than two dozen schools are projected to close or consolidate because of a lack of state funding.
And next year, it’s projected to cost taxpayers $315 million to fund the state’s Hope Scholarship, which subsidizes costs for families to enroll students in private schools or homeschooling programs.
In Preston County, school tax levies have repeatedly failed to pass to increase funding for public schools.
Residents with children enrolled in the state’s public school system said local schools weren’t preparing them for the real world.
“Our school systems do not make them (students) successful,” Morgantown resident Sarah Barnes said. “When they leave, they’re going to have to make up the difference.”
Lack of investment in public education upsets some residents.
“Educated people leave,” Bruceton Mills resident John Fillingham said. “Poor education and poverty contribute to poor health.”
Urban vs. rural health care
Many Morgantown residents rely on WVU’s health care system.
Lori Claypole said that she recognizes that access to dependable health care becomes harder when traveling out of the city.
“We’re really lucky,” she said. “We’ve got more places for care here than most people, and most places only have one little hospital.”
But Melissa Sidebottom, who lives in Terra Alta, expressed frustration with the local health care system. Her son has a serious illness that has taken time to diagnose.
West Virginia hospitals are not home to a wide array of specialists, so Sidebottom has to travel out of state to Pittsburgh to access the care her son needs. He has been waiting months to get an appointment for specialized care in the state.
And across the state, there is a shortage of nurses, doctors and physicians in clinics and hospitals due to low wages. There is a gap between rural and urban health care, and looming Medicare cuts will make it harder for residents to access necessary care.
Nancy Morgan of Reedsburg is an addiction counselor. She said her community still sees substance use as a widespread problem.
“They say it’s getting better, but it’s really not,” she said.
Housing costs have increased
Statewide home values are estimated to rise around 6% annually over the next two years. This creates a shortage of starter homes for new families, contributing to a decreasing younger population.
“When people say they can’t find a house here, they’re not talking about being picky,” said Morgantown resident Debra Grant. “They’re saying there’s literally nothing available in their price range.”
West Virginia does not require a statewide short-term rental licence, leading to a rising popularity of Airbnb, Vrbo and other rental platforms. And short-term rental platforms can make it harder for residents to afford homes.
The state’s minimum wage is currently $8.75, and the median price of a home in 2025 is a little less than $250k, making it difficult to afford.
“Lack of affordable housing is not a new problem,” resident Mary Bolt said.
Catherine Grimm asked, “How are young people going to live?”
Mary Kay McFarland and Tyler Dedrick contributed reporting.