Terra Alta is a town in Preston County, West Virginia, home to about 1,841 people across 1.2 square miles. Its ZIP code is 26764.
Homes sold for a median of $174 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Terra Alta. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Terra Alta’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)81 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Morgantown Municipal Airport Walter L. (Bill) Hart Field (MGW)24 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Pittsburgh, PA72 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA238 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Terra Alta; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Terra Alta had 1,415 residents in the 2020 census, down 3% since 2000.
It’s the 83rd largest of 429 towns in West Virginia by population.
Preston County grew from 22,727 residents in 1900 to 34,216 in 2020.
Preston County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 77°F in summer, and winter lows average 18°F. About 57.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 171 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Terra Alta #1, WV weather station (about a mile away).
5,012 jobs at 509 businesses in Preston County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
4 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Terra Alta.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 1 |
| Mental health providers | 1 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (1 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Preston County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terra Alta/East Preston SchoolTerra Alta | Pre-K–8 | 283 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel AcademyTerra Alta | Pre-K–12 | 68 | Other religious | 1.0 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.