2 census tracts · pop 6,785 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.4/10
· range 3.8–4.8
First Ward spans 2 census tracts of Morgantown, WV and houses 6,785 people. That produces an Eviction Risk Score of 4.4/10, Moderate tier. Severe burden reaches 22%. A tenant at that level absorbs no shock: one cut shift or one repair bill converts directly into arrears.
Pulling the other way is eviction-process difficulty, at 2.4/10. The 2 tracts inside this boundary do not behave alike. Individual scores run 3.8 to 4.8, a 1-point gap wide enough that the area average misleads on any specific address.
Running cool is rent-regulation exposure, at 2.6/10. The poverty rate is 17%. Judgments in high-poverty tracts are collectible far less often than the filing statistics suggest. Among the 12 mapped neighborhoods of Morgantown, it ranks #10 by risk, the lower third.
For a like-for-like read, Greenmont and Pineridge North score within a fraction of it. Rent consumes at least 30% of income for 41% of renter households.
Average gross rent runs $923, close to the Morgantown average. Annual rent works out to 21% of average household income of $53,384. 53% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
For a specific building, read the per-tract breakdown below rather than the 4.4 headline, because the internal range is too wide to average safely. The number is rebuilt whenever its ACS, court-record, or statutory inputs change.
Risk score
4.4
Moderate
2 tracts · population-weighted
First Ward vs MorgantownHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority30%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport79%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in First Ward
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
13.2%Housing insecurity
12.1%Utility shutoff threat
15.3%Food insecurity
16.9%SNAP enrollment
8.1%No health insurance
30.8%Any disability
Frequently asked
About First Ward
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for First Ward?
First Ward scores 4.4/10 (Moderate tier) across 2 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does First Ward compare to Morgantown overall?
First Ward scores 0.4 points higher than Morgantown overall (4/10). Renters spend 41% of income on rent vs 41% citywide. Average rent: $923 vs $937.
Q3
What is the average rent in First Ward?
Average gross rent in First Ward is $923/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 41% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of First Ward residents are renters?
53% of First Ward households are renter-occupied (vs 56% in Morgantown). The neighborhood has 6,785 residents.
Q5
Is First Ward a high social-vulnerability area?
First Ward sits in the 61st percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (moderately vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in First Ward have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in First Ward is census tract 54061011000 (score 4.8/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.8 to 4.8, a spread of 1 points.
Q7
How safe is First Ward for landlords?
First Ward carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.4/10). Pop-weighted across 2 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Morgantown as a whole (4/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of First Ward?
First Ward has 6,699 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (80.5%), Black (non-Hispanic) (10.4%), Other / Multiracial (4%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
