West Virginia has older housing, with about 31% of units built before 1960, and more manufactured homes than most states: about 13% of units are mobile homes. Expect plaster and lath in older coal-town and river-town houses, wood framing elsewhere, and thin-walled manufactured homes in many rural counties.

median year homes were built: 1977; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 20.7%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 31.2%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 74.1%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 7.6%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 13.2%; mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Thin paneled framing

Where: Manufactured and mobile homes, especially in the southern coalfields and rural counties; about 13% of units statewide.

Mounting: Walls are thin and studs may be spaced wider or hidden behind paneling. Locate framing carefully and add blocking before hanging heavy TVs or arms.

Wood-stud walls with drywall

Where: Most single-family houses built after the 1950s, in Charleston, Morgantown and the Eastern Panhandle suburbs.

Mounting: Studs are typically 16 inches on center. Lag the mount into studs.

Plaster on lath

Where: Older houses in towns such as Wheeling, Huntington, Parkersburg and Charleston; about 31% of units predate 1960.

Mounting: Locate studs and pre-drill slowly; plaster can crack or spall.

Brick and masonry walls

Where: Older brick houses and downtown buildings in river and railroad towns such as Wheeling and Martinsburg.

Mounting: Use concrete screws or sleeve anchors into solid brick faces, not mortar joints.

Stone or block foundation walls

Where: Basements built into hillsides.

Mounting: Bare walls require masonry anchors; moisture is common, so frame and ventilate before enclosing a media wall.

Tips before you mount

Stud walls: studs are usually 16" on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs with 5/16" lag bolts, typically about 2.5" to 3" long; a full-motion arm puts far more leverage on the wall than a flat mount, so it should never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Manufactured homes: verify the stud locations (they may be wider than 16 inches or lie behind thin paneling). Use wood blocking added behind the paneling for full-motion arms.
Older manufactured homes can have lightly built walls; for heavy TVs, the installer may recommend a mount spanning multiple studs and a spreader plate.
Plaster walls: use pilot holes, locate studs with a stud finder, and use toggle bolts only for light loads.
Brick and block walls: use 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors with a hammer drill, drilling into solid brick faces or block face shells where possible.
Hiding wires: the National Electrical Code (NEC 400.12) does not allow a regular TV power cord to run inside the wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and choose low-voltage cables rated CL2 or CL3 for in-wall HDMI and speaker runs.
Over a fireplace: check the TV maker's heat limits and measure the surface temperature after the fireplace has run. If the mantel or surround is hot, mount the TV elsewhere or use a deeper mantel and a pull-down mount. Wood stoves are common in rural homes; keep TVs away from them.
Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type (studs, plaster, masonry or concrete), the TV size and weight and the mount type. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: West Virginia (B25035, B25034, B25024) · Lincoln Institute: 2025 manufactured housing data factsheet, West Virginia · e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.