Groundwork

Market rankings · West Virginia

Sit-down restaurants in West Virginia

Markets across West Virginia ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
3,335
1,314 chain locations (39%)
Official establishments
1,234
+5.0% since 2019
Household spending a year
$2.4B
On food away from home
Listings per 10k households
45.8
25% below the U.S.
Spending per listing
$730K
10% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#35 of 51
Market score 41 · Lower middle

A site report maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings around any address in West Virginia by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Map listings as of September 2026 show 3,335 sit-down restaurants in West Virginia. Chain locations make up 39% of them, against 29% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 45.8, 25% below the U.S. rate of 61.3.

Households in West Virginia spend about $2.4B a year on food away from home, or $3,343 per household, 18% below the U.S. average. That is about $730K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 10% above the U.S. figure of $664K. That spending covers all food away from home, which sit-down restaurants share with other businesses in the trade.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in West Virginia was 1,234 in 2023, up 5.0% from 2019. That is one for every 590 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 1.5% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 36 SBA-backed loans worth $10.7M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in West Virginia.

Among the 50 states and DC, West Virginia ranks #35 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 41 (lower middle). Of the 10 scored metro areas in or partly in West Virginia, the Hagerstown-Martinsburg metro area scores highest (77). Of the 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in West Virginia, the Fairmont area scores highest (53).

Every market in West Virginia for sit-down restaurants

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in West Virginia, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching West Virginia, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV7751343.4$882K+7.1%#21 of 387
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV6615,31664.5$796K+3.3%#74 of 387
1Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH5463942.0$799K−2.6%#150 of 387
Winchester, VA-WV5332258.0$699K+6.5%#164 of 387
2Parkersburg-Vienna, WV4315540.9$799K−2.3%#242 of 387
3Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH3623647.5$693K−3.6%#295 of 387
4Beckley, WV3620445.4$679K−4.3%#298 of 387
5Wheeling, WV-OH3528148.4$690K−3.6%#307 of 387
6Charleston, WV3243049.2$676K−4.7%#325 of 387
7Morgantown, WV2735361.5$588K+1.3%#356 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching West Virginia, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Fairmont, WV539842.0$824K−1.2%#230 of 538
2Clarksburg, WV4815543.6$782K−2.4%#281 of 538
Cumberland, MD-WV4817144.4$743K−1.3%#283 of 538
3Bluefield, WV-VA3618144.7$691K−3.8%#414 of 538
4Elkins, WV225652.4$607K−3.6%#513 of 538

Counties

Counties in West Virginia, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Berkeley County, WV8118135.5$1.1M+13.7%#111 of 2,405
2Morgan County, WV751925.9$1.3M+5.5%#232 of 2,405
3Jefferson County, WV7410244.7$977K+9.2%#273 of 2,405
4Hampshire County, WV732326.6$1.3M+4.4%#291 of 2,405
5Putnam County, WV728737.4$1.1M−1.0%#314 of 2,405
6Taylor County, WV671725.7$1.3M−2.4%#445 of 2,405
7Wayne County, WV634025.4$1.3M−4.0%#596 of 2,405
8Mason County, WV622726.4$1.2M−2.7%#645 of 2,405
9Preston County, WV624938.3$871K−0.6%#660 of 2,405
10Boone County, WV612126.5$1.2M−6.9%#693 of 2,405
11Roane County, WV601119.3$1.5M−4.8%#724 of 2,405
12Lincoln County, WV581823.5$1.2M−5.8%#797 of 2,405
13Barbour County, WV571422.8$1.3M−0.3%#835 of 2,405
14Jackson County, WV534539.1$838K−1.0%#1,027 of 2,405
15Grant County, WV491534.1$939K+0.4%#1,197 of 2,405
16Mineral County, WV494843.2$803K−0.4%#1,204 of 2,405
17Monroe County, WV48919.5$1.6M+0.8%#1,252 of 2,405
18Wetzel County, WV481931.1$1M−4.6%#1,253 of 2,405
19Marshall County, WV485140.8$794K−4.4%#1,260 of 2,405
20Marion County, WV469842.0$824K−1.2%#1,344 of 2,405
21Upshur County, WV453839.8$802K−0.3%#1,398 of 2,405
22Wyoming County, WV432429.7$954K−7.1%#1,479 of 2,405
23Wood County, WV3915242.4$775K−2.1%#1,663 of 2,405
24Raleigh County, WV3912844.1$700K−3.5%#1,671 of 2,405
25Mercer County, WV3410643.8$713K−3.4%#1,864 of 2,405
Show all 55 counties
Counties in West Virginia, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score, continued
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
26Lewis County, WV343854.5$612K−3.7%#1,884 of 2,405
27Monongalia County, WV3230468.1$542K+2.0%#1,979 of 2,405
28Harrison County, WV3013350.5$679K−2.5%#2,030 of 2,405
29Kanawha County, WV3040352.7$639K−4.3%#2,034 of 2,405
30Hardy County, WV302948.7$627K+0.7%#2,036 of 2,405
31Summers County, WV302349.1$563K−3.3%#2,050 of 2,405
32Logan County, WV285341.5$731K−6.6%#2,099 of 2,405
33Hancock County, WV286449.9$666K−4.5%#2,102 of 2,405
34Brooke County, WV285859.9$541K−6.0%#2,120 of 2,405
35McDowell County, WV273757.2$429K−10.9%#2,163 of 2,405
36Fayette County, WV257647.7$645K−5.6%#2,190 of 2,405
37Mingo County, WV254447.2$574K−8.7%#2,196 of 2,405
38Randolph County, WV195652.4$607K−3.6%#2,317 of 2,405
39Nicholas County, WV174850.7$613K−2.9%#2,349 of 2,405
40Cabell County, WV1625163.8$511K−3.2%#2,361 of 2,405
41Greenbrier County, WV169866.3$448K−4.0%#2,367 of 2,405
42Braxton County, WV142450.1$586K−4.1%#2,376 of 2,405
43Ohio County, WV1412970.3$483K−4.4%#2,379 of 2,405
Ritchie County, WVNot scored1647.2$637K−4.6%
Webster County, WVNot scored1034.5$821K−7.1%
Tyler County, WVNot scored618.2$1.9M−5.0%
Clay County, WVNot scored620.2$1.4M−5.9%
Pocahontas County, WVNot scored3094.3$296K−3.3%
Doddridge County, WVNot scored519.6$1.8M−1.9%
Pleasants County, WVNot scored621.7$1.6M−4.1%
Gilmer County, WVNot scored939.9$705K−4.2%
Tucker County, WVNot scored2070.4$458K−3.1%
Calhoun County, WVNot scored623.8$1.2M−3.6%
Pendleton County, WVNot scored834.2$920K−4.9%
Wirt County, WVNot scored314.7$2M−5.9%

Markets with fewer than 5 sit-down restaurants on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many sit-down restaurants are in West Virginia?

There are 3,335 sit-down restaurants on map listings in West Virginia as of September 2026. 1,314 of them (39%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 1,234 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, up 5.0% from 2019. Another 163 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.

How much do households in West Virginia spend on food away from home?

About $2.4B a year, or $3,343 per household. That is 18% below the U.S. average (an index of 82, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 3,335 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $730K per restaurant. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only sit-down restaurants. It is estimated from the incomes of the 728,655 households in West Virginia and national spending patterns by income.

How does West Virginia compare with the U.S. for sit-down restaurants?

West Virginia has 45.8 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 25% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $730K, 10% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the national ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, West Virginia would have about 3,671, against 3,335 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 590 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count rose 5.0% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.

Which market in West Virginia has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?

Among 10 scored metro areas in or partly in West Virginia, the Hagerstown-Martinsburg metro area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in West Virginia, the Fairmont area scores highest, at 53 (upper middle). Among 43 scored counties in West Virginia, Berkeley County scores highest, at 81 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. West Virginia scores 41 for sit-down restaurants (lower middle), #35 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in West Virginia. It maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

Sit-down restaurants in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in West Virginia

Screening a site or an acquisition in West Virginia?

A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.

Run a site report See plans
Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Screening many markets at once? Talk to us

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.