Us & Them Encore: Housing Options Are Few & Far Between In Appalachia

About this episode

This episode explores the complexities of homeownership and housing conditions in West Virginia, highlighting the challenges faced by residents in the region.

For some Americans home ownership is a way to build wealth for future generations. But West Virginia presents the complexities and nuances of that reality. The Mountain State has the nation’s highest homeownership rate but the second lowest personal income rate. And much of the state’s housing is old and needs repair. In one West Virginia county, 67 percent of the homes are more than 80 years old and half rate below normal on standard quality measures. By several measures there are 500,000 people living in such conditions. In this encore Us & Them — which was recently honored by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters for Best Podcast — we travel just across the state line to Western Virginia to experience a side of the housing crisis we don't often see — structures in disrepair that people call home.

Topics covered

• housing crisis
• homeownership
• Appalachia
• West Virginia

Keywords

• wealth building
• personal income
• housing conditions
• disrepair

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Us & Them

Places: Appalachia, West Virginia, The Mountain State, Western Virginia

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