Settled in 1772, Morgantown has a rich history and a \u201cwild and wonderful\u201d present.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Woodburn Circle:<\/strong>\u00a0Part of WVU\u2019s downtown campus, this landmark is actually a quadrangle around an oval path. Woodburn Circle encompasses three historic and architecturally distinct buildings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<\/li>\n
- The WVU Coliseum:<\/strong>\u00a0Home to several WVU athletic teams include men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball, volleyball and wrestling, The Coliseum is a striking landmark on the Evansdale Campus. Recently renovated in 2016, it\u2019s one of the best places to watch college basketball in the country.<\/li>\n
- WVU Football:<\/strong>\u00a0Cheer for\u00a0the Mountaineers,<\/a>\u00a0the 20th Winningest College Football Program, on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.<\/li>\n
- Downtown Morgantown and the Historic Wharf District:<\/strong>\u00a0Enjoy dining, shopping, and entertainment in the city\u2019s historic downtown area. This neighborhood is also home to many professional companies providing employment and various services to residences.<\/li>\n
- Erickson Alumni Center:\u00a0<\/strong>The\u00a0headquarters of the WVU Alumni Association\u00a0<\/a>and a beautiful event space where you can have your wedding, host a baby shower, and more.<\/li>\n
- The Don Knotts Statue:\u00a0<\/strong>Born and raised in Morgantown, comedic genius Don Knotts is a Hometown Hero celebrated with this statue in front of the Metropolitan Theatre in downtown Morgantown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/p>\nParks and Recreation<\/h2>\n
West Virginia\u2019s natural beauty is unparalleled. Experience hiking, lakes, and rivers, and more for yourself.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Coopers Rock:\u00a0<\/strong>A half hour\u2019s drive from Morgantown, this\u00a0state park\u00a0<\/a>offers beautiful views from canyon overlooks, hiking and biking trails, sandstone cliffs for climbing and bouldering, a lake where you can fish, and more.<\/li>\n
- Cheat Lake:<\/strong>\u00a0Located just outside Morgantown,\u00a0Cheat Lake<\/a>\u00a0offers swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities as well as dining and drinking on the lake and hiking in the forest next to the lake.<\/li>\n
- WVU Core Arboretum:<\/strong>\u00a0Located near the WVU Coliseum on the Evansdale Campus, the arboretum is free to visit and offers foot trails, lawns with planted trees and shrubs, and special events such as the annual\u00a0Pawpaw festival.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Morgantown Ice Arena:<\/strong>\u00a0Offers hockey for kids and adults, a \u201ctotsicles\u201d program for preschoolers, freestyle skate sessions, and weekday public sessions.<\/li>\n
- The Wiles Hill Community Center:\u00a0<\/strong>Home to a Senior Recreation Center, community arts studio, library, and wellness room.<\/li>\n
- Krepps Park:\u00a0<\/strong>20 acres of wooded trails, outdoor swimming pool, dog park, playground, and more.<\/li>\n
- Marilla Park:\u00a0<\/strong>Home to the Marilla Recreation Center, Marilla Skate Park, outdoor pool with water slides, wooded trails, two playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, and more.<\/li>\n
- Dorsey\u2019s Knob Park:<\/strong>\u00a0Home to Sky Rock, trails, disc golf, and more.<\/li>\n
- Mylan Park Aquatic\u00a0Center:\u00a0<\/strong>The Mylan Park Aquatic Center<\/a>\u00a0is an impressive, state-of-the-art, and fully accessible 90,000 square foot facility featuring a 50-meter Olympic pool and diving well. Additionally, the facility houses a community pool with zero-depth entry, water slides and play features, a six-lane lap pool, an outdoor splash pad, multi-purpose rooms to rent, and a fitness room.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/p>\nArts and Entertainment<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s plenty of culture for adults and kids to enjoy in Morgantown!<\/p>\n
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- Spark! Imagination and Science Center:<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Hands-on art and science programs and exhibits for kids.<\/li>\n
- Morgantown History Museum:<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Check out the latest exhibits to learn more about the people and landscape of Morgantown and surrounding areas.<\/li>\n
- Metropolitan Theater:<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0A historic downtown venue where you can see plays, films, and other performances.<\/li>\n
- WVU Canady Creative Arts Center:<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Experience a concert, or see a student produced play at one of their 5 theatre spaces and see visual art exhibits in the Paul and Laura Mesaros Galleries.<\/li>\n
- WVU Art Museum:<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Offers rotating exhibits and a permanent collection of more than 4,000 paintings, prints, works on paper, sculpture, and ceramics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/firstexbank.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/FEB_Morgantown-Relocation-Guide-Blog-Image-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLocal Food and Dining<\/h2>\n
Morgantown\u2019s culinary claim to fame is the pepperoni roll, but the great food options don\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n
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- Morgantown Farmers Market Growers Association:<\/strong>\u00a0A variety of vendors sell fresh, local food year-round. Visit the Downtown Market at the Morgantown Market Place Pavilion during the summer. Markets are also available on select Saturdays indoors from November through April.<\/li>\n
- Black Bear Burritos:<\/strong>\u00a0Puts a local spin on this Tex-Mex staple.<\/li>\n
- Tudor\u2019s Biscuit World:<\/strong>\u00a0Located right next to our First Exchange branch in Morgantown.<\/li>\n
- Apple Annie\u2019s:\u00a0<\/strong>Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Features a from-scratch bakery\u2014try the apple dumplings!<\/li>\n
- Chaang Thai Restaurant:<\/strong>\u00a0Serving authentic Thai food. Outdoor seating and student discounts available!<\/li>\n
- Fresh Mint Indian Grill:<\/strong>\u00a0Serving South, North Indian and Indo Chinese dishes, as well as Tandoori grill kebabs.<\/li>\n
- Mountain State Brewing Company:<\/strong>\u00a0Taproom and restaurant<\/li>\n
- Morgantown Brewing Company:<\/strong>\u00a0Brewpub and taproom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/p>\nCost of living<\/h2>\n
Morgantown, as well as all of North Central West Virginia, is an affordable place to live. The cost of living in Morgantown is\u00a010% lower than the U.S. average<\/a>\u00a0and the typical home value is $232,629,\u00a0according to Zillow,<\/a>\u00a0which also notes that Morgantown home values have risen by 11.4% in the past year. So,\u00a0Morgantown\u2019s real estate market<\/a>\u00a0is hot but still affordable, especially for remote workers looking to relocate from more expensive metro areas.<\/p>\n
Some\u00a0of the most desirable neighborhoods in Morgantown are the Cheat Lake and Suncrest areas. Located in metropolitan Morgantown, the Median home value in Cheat Lake is $305,000,\u00a0higher than the national average<\/a>. The\u00a0median listing price for a home in Suncrest\u00a0<\/a>is $299,000.<\/p>\n
Local Economy<\/h2>\n
While West Virginia may have a national reputation for coal mining, local economies in the state are growing with new industries, companies, and types of jobs.<\/p>\n
Ascend West Virginia<\/a>\u00a0is an incentives program for attracting remote workers from out of state. Get paid $12,000 and enjoy a year of free outdoor recreation for relocating to the Mountain State.<\/p>\n
Technology is a growing industry in North Central West Virginia with the Morgantown opening of DataRobot, a company specializing in artificial intelligence. DataRobot\u2019s office is in Vantage Ventures, an initiative of WVU\u2019s John Chambers College of Business and Economics focused on attracting innovative tech companies to our state.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the university and healthcare systems are big employers in Morgantown, as well as retail and manufacturing jobs.<\/p>\n
With easy access to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., Morgantown is well positioned to continue its economic growth and development.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nEducation in Morgantown<\/h2>\n
Monongalia County Schools serve Morgantown students from elementary through high school. There are also a variety of early childhood programs including Monongalia County Pre-K, which serves children who turn four by June 30th of the current school year. Pre-K is free and open to all with no income restrictions. Transportation is also provided.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for private school options for your child, here are a few options:<\/p>\n
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- St. Francis Central Catholic School<\/a><\/li>\n
- Trinity Christian School<\/a><\/li>\n
- Morgantown Christian Academy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Higher education options in Morgantown include, of course,\u00a0West Virginia University<\/a>\u00a0as well as\u00a0West Virginia Junior College<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Fairmont State University<\/a>, just a short drive down I-79.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/p>\nHealthcare<\/h2>\n
When you move to a university town, you can rest assured that you\u2019ll always have good healthcare options available to you.<\/p>\n
- \n
- J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital:<\/strong>\u00a0The top-ranked hospital in the state and part of WVU Medicine.<\/li>\n
- WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital:<\/strong>\u00a0WVU Medicine\u2019s new nine-story, state of the art medical facility that provides the greatest range of pediatric specialty and high-risk maternal care in West Virginia and the surrounding region.<\/li>\n
- Mon Health Medical Center:\u00a0<\/strong>Offers a wide range of specialties and hospital care.<\/li>\n
- National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health:<\/strong>\u00a0Operated by the CDC, the purpose of the NIOSH is to promote healthy workplaces through research and prevention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Transportation<\/h2>\n
Get around Morgantown or catch a flight out of the city.<\/p>\n
- \n
- WVU Personal Rapid Transit (PRT):\u00a0<\/strong>Open to the public, the PRT is the university’s primary mass transit system for students, employees and visitors. Known as \u201cthe people mover,\u201d WVU PRT connects the three campuses and Morgantown\u2019s business district.<\/li>\n
- Mountain Line Transit Authority:<\/strong>\u00a0Operates 24 bus lines in Morgantown and Monongalia County.<\/li>\n
- Morgantown Municipal Airport:<\/strong>\u00a0Offers daily flights to Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington Dulles Airport.<\/li>\n
- \u00a0Car services:<\/strong>\u00a0Uber, Lyft, and local taxi companies are available in Morgantown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/p>\nFirst Exchange is your local bank in Morgantown!<\/h2>\n
New to Morgantown? Come\u00a0say hi to us!<\/a>\u00a0We\u2019d love to help you get to know your neighbors, open a new checking account, or\u00a0apply for a mortgage\u00a0<\/a>to begin your house buying journey in Morgantown. If you’re buying your very first home here in Morgantown, check out our\u00a0Morgantown First-Time Homebuyers Guide.<\/a>\u00a0At First Exchange Bank, we remain proudly independent and dedicated to the communities we serve. Our Morgantown office supports local causes such as the Rotary Club, and Special Olympics. We are also affiliated with the North Central West Virginia Home Builders and the Morgantown Area Partnership, and we get involved with the United Way, local schools and fire departments, and the Valley District Food Pantry.\u00a0Contact us<\/a>\u00a0today!<\/p>\n
- Mountain Line Transit Authority:<\/strong>\u00a0Operates 24 bus lines in Morgantown and Monongalia County.<\/li>\n
- WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital:<\/strong>\u00a0WVU Medicine\u2019s new nine-story, state of the art medical facility that provides the greatest range of pediatric specialty and high-risk maternal care in West Virginia and the surrounding region.<\/li>\n
- Trinity Christian School<\/a><\/li>\n
- Black Bear Burritos:<\/strong>\u00a0Puts a local spin on this Tex-Mex staple.<\/li>\n
- Morgantown History Museum:<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Check out the latest exhibits to learn more about the people and landscape of Morgantown and surrounding areas.<\/li>\n
- Cheat Lake:<\/strong>\u00a0Located just outside Morgantown,\u00a0Cheat Lake<\/a>\u00a0offers swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities as well as dining and drinking on the lake and hiking in the forest next to the lake.<\/li>\n
- The WVU Coliseum:<\/strong>\u00a0Home to several WVU athletic teams include men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball, volleyball and wrestling, The Coliseum is a striking landmark on the Evansdale Campus. Recently renovated in 2016, it\u2019s one of the best places to watch college basketball in the country.<\/li>\n