Daylight through the yearLongest day (Jun 21): 14 h 47 min6:04 am – 8:50 pmShortest day (Dec 21): 9 h 33 min7:36 am – 5:10 pm
Sun todaySunrise –Sunset –
People1,573 residentsin the ZIP code areaMedian age 63.3747 householdsMedian household income $38,173Median home value $170,000Median rent $975 a month87% of homes owner-occupiedMedian property tax $1,016 a yearSource: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Work and commuting1.2% unemployment rate29% of adults are in the labour force, 416 employedMain industries: education and health care 28%, construction 27%, hospitality, food and recreation 14%Average commute 34 minutes80% drive alone, 19% work from homeSource: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024, ZIP area
Education and languages11% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher81% finished high school, 1% hold a graduate degreeLanguages at home: English only 100%Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024, ZIP area
ClimateWarmest month July: highs 85°F, lows 62°FColdest month January: highs 43°F, lows 22°F49 in of rain a year, on about 105 dayswettest month July38 in of snow a year, on about 20 days18 days above 90°F, 117 nights below freezing in a typical yearSource: NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals, Mullens 3 E station, 9 mi away; snow from Beckley Va Hospital
Nearby landmarksBuck Fork Lakelake · 2.1 miHallie Basham Springspring · 1.7 miRichard Cozart Springspring · 1.9 miStephens Lakelake · 5.4 miSouthern West Virginia Community and Technical College - Wyoming - McDowell Campuscollege · 7.0 miLilly Mountainpeak · 6.6 miSource: USGS Geographic Names Information System
Parks and public landsTwin Falls Resort State Parkstate park · 5.7 mi · 3,744 acresLake Stephens Recreation Arearecreation area · 6.0 mi · 1,826 acresSophia Little League Ballfieldspark · 7.1 miLittle Beaver State Parkstate park · 15.2 mi · 552 acresNew River Gorge National Park and Preservenational conservation area · 17.2 mi · 52,890 acresCamp Creek State Parkstate park · 18.3 mi · 559 acresSource: USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)
Earthquakes7 of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles since 19702 of magnitude 4+, 0 of magnitude 5+Largest: magnitude 4.3 on 2 Nov 200647 mi away, near Raven, VirginiaMost recent: magnitude 3.2 on 13 Sep 201740 mi awaySource: USGS Earthquake Catalog
Natural hazardsOverall risk Relatively LowRaleigh County, WV, compared with all US countiesHighest-rated hazardsLandslide Relatively ModerateRiver flooding Relatively ModerateSource: FEMA National Risk Index (county level)
Air quality77% of days had good air in 2025281 of 365 days measured84 moderate daysMedian index 39, worst day 69main pollutant: fine particles (PM2.5)Source: US EPA Air Quality Index, nearest monitors: Kanawha County, WV, 43 mi away
Internet at home84% of households have a broadband subscription57% have cable, fibre or DSL27% rely on a mobile data plan alone9% have no internet at homeSource: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Drinking waterLester Municipal Water Worksserves 665 people from surface water purchased9 health-based violations since 2021latest Oct 2025: haloacetic acids (HAA5), maximum contaminant level25 monitoring or reporting violations since 2021Source: US EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System, largest system serving the town
Elevation2,351 ft717 m above sea levelSource: USGS 3D Elevation Program
Local servicesHospitalBeckley Veterans Affairs Medical Center10.0 miPost officeGlen Rogers Post Office3.0 miTown hallSophia Town Hall6.2 miPoliceLester Police Department3.8 miFire stationLester Volunteer Fire Department3.7 miSource: USGS National Structures Dataset
SchoolsWithin 2 miNo schools listedCollegeSouthern West Virginia Community and Technical College - Wyoming - McDowell Campus7.0 miSource: USGS National Structures Dataset
Getting aroundAirportRaleigh County Memorial Airport BKW14 miMajor airportPiedmont Triad International Airport GSO136 miInterstateI-648.6 miUS highwayUS 1911 miAmtrakPrince, WV PRC19 miCoachBeckleyBarons Bus Lines8.1 miSources: OurAirports; US Census Bureau TIGER roads; Bureau of Transportation Statistics NTAD
Distances in these cards are measured from the centre of the 25865 ZIP area.
