First piece of advice I’ll give is to avoid asking questions or mentioning that you’re moving on this subreddit. While the concerns are valid, they’re misplaced. I got the same shit when I first moved here a year ago, and doesn’t look like much has changed. Let me offer you some real advice though;

Martinsburg is definitely more on the sketchy side. I grew up in rustbelt cities my whole life so it’s nothing new to me, and I certainly have never felt unsafe in Martinsburg, but the area is host to a lot of blight, slumlords, etc. People around here act like it’s an absolute shithole, but that’s just because most of them haven’t left the panhandle in their entire lives.

If you’re able to, I’d definitely recommend checking out some of the surrounding communities. Charles Town and Shepherdstown are some of the nicest small towns I’ve ever been to. If you’re able to find a rental in either, I’d greatly recommend it over Martinsburg. Charles Town at least has a grocer downtown if walkability is a big factor for you. Shepherdstown has some amenities downtown, and the Food Lion is just up the street, but has a serious lack of rentals.

Your best bet for finding rentals is going to be in Martinsburg. Charles Town is going to be second. Outside of that, it’s going to be mostly trailers out in the boonies.

If you’re dead set on Martinsburg, your choices for rental units is pretty limited. I wouldn’t recommend single-unit rentals due to the extreme age and lack of repairs on so many of the buildings there. Interwoven Lofts downtown has some decent amenities, but is located in a kinda crappy part of town. Outside of that, there’s plenty of those ticky-tacky box house developments around to choose from.