COUNTY REPORT WV

Upshur County, West Virginia

11 ZIP codes · Avg score 57/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03

Spanning 11 ZIP codes, Upshur County lands near the national median for water safety — compliance results are mixed, and the county's middle-grade standing reflects genuine variability rather than a single systemic problem.

How Upshur County Compares

Upshur County57/100
West Virginia avg64/100
National avg68/100

How Upshur County Compares

C
County Grade
57/100
Avg Safety Score
11
ZIP Codes
8
Water Systems

Upshur County scores 7 points below the West Virginia state average (64/100) and 11 points below the national average (68/100).

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03

C
County Grade
57
Avg Safety Score
11
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 26218 (81/100)
Lowest ZIP: 26372 (53/100)
$163K
Median Home Value
$1,200
Avg Remediation (74% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Upshur County, West Virginia

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 16.6 (asthma 12.2%, diabetes 16.6%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $694, driven primarily by flood

Infrastructure: 0.502% avg pipe failure probability, 78% of ZIPs at high risk

63% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 12.2% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 16.6% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 37.3% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1974
Median Build Year
63%
Pre-1978 Housing
50%
Pipe Failure Probability
78%
ZIPs at High Infra Risk
Low
Lead Pipe Risk

Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $694

Flood $345/yr
Energy Code Gap $221/yr
Water / Lead $127/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

11,869 housing units in Upshur County

Pre-1940 15%
1940–1959 12%
1960–1979 24%
1980–1999 28%
2000+ 20%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Upshur County

$163K
Median Home Value
$1,200
Est. Remediation Cost
0.7%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Upshur County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Upshur County residents

Asthma 12.2% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 16.6% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 37.3% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water Systems with Most Violations

Top 5 systems in Upshur County ranked by EPA violation count.

# Water System Population Violations
1 Elkins Road Public Service District 3,112 11
2 ADRIAN P S D 5,327 11
3 Buckhannon Water Board 8,098 10
4 Mount Hope Water Assoc 2,870 10
5 Hodgesville Public Service District Rt 20 2,161 10

8 total water systems serve Upshur County.

All ZIP Codes in Upshur County

11 ZIP codes tracked in Upshur County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 26218 French Creek 81 B 1 $139K
2 26234 Rock Cave 63 C 0 $202K
3 26343 Crawford 63 C 0
4 26201 Buckhannon 54 D 10 $163K
5 26210 Adrian 53 D 0
6 26219 Frenchton 53 D 0
7 26228 Kanawha Head 53 D 0
8 26229 Lorentz 53 D 0
9 26236 Selbyville 53 D 0
10 26237 Tallmansville 53 D 0 $111K
11 26372 Horner 53 D 0 $410K

Recommended Buyer Guides for Upshur County

Designed to find the guide that fits the county, not the other way around — the system reads EPA detections, FEMA hazard layers, and CDC lead-exposure markers, then outputs the categories that resolve those specific risks for households here, with NSF-certified products surfaced when the matching contaminant appears in the local monitoring data.

Overview

Upshur County in West Virginia covers 11 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (57/100).

2 of 11 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.

← Back to West Virginia water quality report

Data Sources

Updated daily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Upshur County?
Upshur County receives a grade of C. Some ZIP codes have recorded violations and residents in affected areas may want to test their water.
How many water systems serve Upshur County?
Upshur County is served by 8 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 11 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Upshur County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Upshur County is flood. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $694 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Upshur County?
The median home build year in Upshur County is 1974. 63% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does Upshur County compare to West Virginia?
Upshur County has an average water safety score of 57/100, which is below the West Virginia state average of 64/100.

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