Slower Sundays
Find my cities

Moving to New River Gorge, West Virginia

New River Gorge pays new residents up to $12,000 through Ascend West Virginia: New River Gorge. Here is what life costs in Fayette County, home of New River Gorge, where people work, what there is to do, and remote jobs you can bring with you.
  • $12,000Paid to move hereAscend West Virginia: New River Gorge
  • $105,800Typical home value1Fayette County
  • $788Typical rent1Utilities included
  • 38,165Population-5.8% since 2020

By Sol Lakein.Checked November 4, 2026.How we compare costs

Get paid to move to New River Gorge

Tap a program for who qualifies, how it pays, whether it is open and the official link.

Every program in West Virginia

Something to know about New River Gorge

Did you know?

New River Gorge became a national park and preserve on December 27, 2020, protecting more than 72,000 acres around a river many geologists believe has held its course for at least 65 million years.

Source: New River Gorge CVB, 2025

A fact about New River Gorge

What it costs to live in New River Gorge

Fayette County next to West Virginia and the US.1
MeasureFayette CountyWest VirginiaUnited States
Typical home value$105,800$162,600$332,700
Monthly owner costs with a mortgage$1,174$1,255$1,963
Typical rent, with utilities$788$872$1,413
Typical household income$53,194$59,608$80,734
Homes lived in by their owners77.7%74.9%65.2%
Households with broadband82.7%86.1%91.0%
Average commute, one way30 min27 min26 min

On the typical home here, the mortgage comes to about $581 a month2.

Jobs and work in Fayette County

  • 7,593Jobs at local employers2023, +1.9% vs 2022
  • 710Employer businesses2023
  • 1,955Self-employed businessesNonemployer firms, 2024
  • 82.7%Households with broadbandUS: 91.0%

48.1% of residents 16 and older are in the labor force, the average commute is 30.1 minutes, and 15.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree1,3. Builders pulled permits for 27 new homes in 2025.

Remote jobs you can do from New River Gorge

1 of New River Gorge's 1 program requires a full-time remote job. These are current remote openings for people living in the US.

Loading current remote jobs.

Things to do in New River Gorge

Notable places in Fayette County, by type.4

Parks, lakes and the outdoors

  • New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
  • Plum Orchard Lake
  • Collins Park
  • Janutola Park
  • McKendreee Public Hunting and Fishing Area

Museums, theaters and libraries

  • Nuttallburg Coal Mining Complex and Town Historic District
  • Fayetteville Historic District
  • New Deal Resources in Babcock State Park Historic District
  • Thurmond Historic District
  • Fayette Theatre

Colleges and universities

  • BridgeValley Community and Technical College

Thinking about New River Gorge? Get the free moving guide

12 pages: what a move costs, hiring movers safely, an 8-week checklist and how to apply for programs like these.

Get the guide

Moving to New River Gorge: questions people ask

Does New River Gorge pay you to move there?

Yes. Ascend West Virginia: New River Gorge: $12,000 cash. Each program has its own rules, status and official link on its page, checked October 30, 2026.

How much does it cost to live in New River Gorge?

In Fayette County, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $105,800 and median gross rent is $788 a month (US Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). West Virginia: $162,600 and $872. United States: $332,700 and $1,413. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on a home at the county median value come to about $581 a month (our arithmetic).

Is New River Gorge a good place to live?

It depends on what you need. On the numbers: home values in Fayette County are below the US median, household income is below the US median, and the population fell 5.8% from April 2020 to July 2025 (US Census Bureau). Visit before you decide.

Can I work remotely from New River Gorge?

82.7% of households in Fayette County have a broadband subscription (US: 91.0%; ACS 2020-2024). 1 of the 1 local program requires a full-time remote job.

What is there to do in New River Gorge?

Notable places in Fayette County include New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Plum Orchard Lake, Nuttallburg Coal Mining Complex and Town Historic District, Fayetteville Historic District, BridgeValley Community and Technical College. The full list by type is on this page (Wikidata).

Other West Virginia towns that pay you to move

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Costs and people: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (dollars in 2024 terms), read November 4, 2026. "Typical" is the median. Census figures cover all homes and renters, not just recent sales or new leases. QuickFacts
  2. 2Mortgage: principal and interest on the county's typical home value with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026), our arithmetic. Rate source
  3. 3Jobs and businesses: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, County Business Patterns 2023, Nonemployer Statistics 2024, Building Permits Survey 2025, ACS 2020-2024.
  4. 4Things to do: notable places from Wikidata (CC0), read November 4, 2026. Know a place we should add? Email hello@slowersundays.com.
Sources for this page