County housing intelligence
West Virginia Housing Market by County
West Virginia is not one housing market. Across 55 counties, the median county home value is $148,800 and the median county rent is $771/mo. The useful question is not whether West Virginia is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$148,800
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$771/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
55
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The West Virginia Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Jefferson County, Monongalia County, Berkeley County sit at the top of the purchase market, while McDowell County, Webster County, Wyoming County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Berkeley County, Jefferson County, Monongalia County lead on rent, while Calhoun County, Wirt County, Ritchie County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Boone County, McDowell County, Gilmer County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. McDowell County
$50,000
- 2. Webster County
$76,100
- 3. Wyoming County
$82,900
- 4. Gilmer County
$83,800
- 5. Mingo County
$90,500
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Boone County
1.6x home-value-to-income
- 2. McDowell County
1.6x home-value-to-income
- 3. Gilmer County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 4. Webster County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 5. Wyoming County
1.7x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Calhoun County
$473/mo
- 2. Wirt County
$558/mo
- 3. Ritchie County
$579/mo
- 4. Braxton County
$606/mo
- 5. Roane County
$614/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Gilmer County
20.5% rent burden
- 2. Hampshire County
20.5% rent burden
- 3. Hardy County
22.1% rent burden
- 4. Mason County
22.4% rent burden
- 5. Braxton County
23.2% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Pocahontas County
0.30% effective tax rate
- 2. Grant County
0.31% effective tax rate
- 3. Summers County
0.31% effective tax rate
- 4. Pendleton County
0.34% effective tax rate
- 5. Clay County
0.35% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Summers County
$491/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Doddridge County
$437/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Gilmer County
$402/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Wayne County
$362/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Lincoln County
$353/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Boone County
$57,093 income, 1.6x value-to-income
- 2. Tyler County
$63,693 income, 1.9x value-to-income
- 3. Wetzel County
$56,836 income, 1.9x value-to-income
- 4. Hancock County
$61,466 income, 2.1x value-to-income
- 5. Wyoming County
$48,440 income, 1.7x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | McDowell County $50,000 home value, $31,559 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | McDowell County $50,000 home value, 0.67% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Webster County $709/mo rent, 51.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Jefferson County $350,800 home value, $98,806 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every West Virginia County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | $93,100 | $837/mo | $57,093 | 1.6x | 0.67% |
| McDowell County | $50,000 | $643/mo | $31,559 | 1.6x | 0.67% |
| Gilmer County | $83,800 | $750/mo | $47,981 | 1.7x | 0.49% |
| Webster County | $76,100 | $709/mo | $43,839 | 1.7x | 0.40% |
| Wyoming County | $82,900 | $650/mo | $48,440 | 1.7x | 0.45% |
| Tyler County | $121,300 | $748/mo | $63,693 | 1.9x | 0.57% |
| Wetzel County | $107,900 | $688/mo | $56,836 | 1.9x | 0.67% |
| Fayette County | $105,800 | $788/mo | $53,194 | 2.0x | 0.64% |
| Hancock County | $130,800 | $771/mo | $61,466 | 2.1x | 0.63% |
| Logan County | $103,400 | $710/mo | $49,723 | 2.1x | 0.56% |
| Nicholas County | $121,600 | $686/mo | $54,639 | 2.2x | 0.46% |
| Wayne County | $127,100 | $915/mo | $58,878 | 2.2x | 0.47% |
| Braxton County | $117,900 | $606/mo | $50,331 | 2.3x | 0.45% |
| Calhoun County | $100,500 | $473/mo | $43,980 | 2.3x | 0.42% |
| Lincoln County | $105,300 | $771/mo | $46,205 | 2.3x | 0.51% |
| Mercer County | $121,700 | $810/mo | $53,210 | 2.3x | 0.54% |
| Ritchie County | $115,900 | $579/mo | $50,582 | 2.3x | 0.66% |
| Wirt County | $115,800 | $558/mo | $49,867 | 2.3x | 0.52% |
| Kanawha County | $147,300 | $906/mo | $60,943 | 2.4x | 0.65% |
| Mason County | $120,300 | $671/mo | $49,761 | 2.4x | 0.59% |
| Mingo County | $90,500 | $647/mo | $38,119 | 2.4x | 0.47% |
| Marion County | $166,700 | $932/mo | $67,370 | 2.5x | 0.59% |
| Marshall County | $149,800 | $837/mo | $59,169 | 2.5x | 0.45% |
| Pleasants County | $151,000 | $715/mo | $60,932 | 2.5x | 0.54% |
| Barbour County | $131,900 | $803/mo | $51,394 | 2.6x | 0.43% |
| Brooke County | $141,500 | $645/mo | $54,316 | 2.6x | 0.53% |
| Clay County | $109,100 | $651/mo | $42,318 | 2.6x | 0.35% |
| Mineral County | $180,400 | $809/mo | $69,375 | 2.6x | 0.45% |
| Preston County | $162,800 | $750/mo | $61,880 | 2.6x | 0.49% |
| Taylor County | $148,800 | $835/mo | $57,795 | 2.6x | 0.54% |
| Jackson County | $157,200 | $716/mo | $58,845 | 2.7x | 0.53% |
| Lewis County | $151,800 | $730/mo | $56,477 | 2.7x | 0.46% |
| Randolph County | $144,800 | $821/mo | $52,757 | 2.7x | 0.39% |
| Roane County | $122,100 | $614/mo | $45,778 | 2.7x | 0.44% |
| Wood County | $158,500 | $822/mo | $57,810 | 2.7x | 0.59% |
| Doddridge County | $160,800 | $866/mo | $57,401 | 2.8x | 0.50% |
| Grant County | $175,100 | $644/mo | $62,361 | 2.8x | 0.31% |
| Harrison County | $166,200 | $879/mo | $60,377 | 2.8x | 0.55% |
| Monroe County | $156,300 | $690/mo | $56,750 | 2.8x | 0.46% |
| Pendleton County | $183,800 | $770/mo | $64,931 | 2.8x | 0.34% |
| Putnam County | $223,300 | $952/mo | $79,527 | 2.8x | 0.59% |
| Cabell County | $164,400 | $923/mo | $55,832 | 2.9x | 0.60% |
| Ohio County | $166,000 | $821/mo | $57,094 | 2.9x | 0.60% |
| Raleigh County | $150,900 | $902/mo | $52,150 | 2.9x | 0.50% |
| Tucker County | $154,800 | $656/mo | $53,358 | 2.9x | 0.37% |
| Greenbrier County | $149,000 | $868/mo | $48,218 | 3.1x | 0.45% |
| Upshur County | $170,800 | $886/mo | $54,338 | 3.1x | 0.42% |
| Berkeley County | $266,300 | $1,233/mo | $80,815 | 3.3x | 0.53% |
| Morgan County | $240,600 | $794/mo | $72,179 | 3.3x | 0.47% |
| Hardy County | $166,300 | $816/mo | $49,272 | 3.4x | 0.35% |
| Summers County | $140,100 | $915/mo | $40,699 | 3.4x | 0.31% |
| Hampshire County | $219,200 | $720/mo | $63,116 | 3.5x | 0.38% |
| Jefferson County | $350,800 | $1,108/mo | $98,806 | 3.6x | 0.53% |
| Pocahontas County | $152,400 | $715/mo | $42,119 | 3.6x | 0.30% |
| Monongalia County | $267,700 | $987/mo | $65,346 | 4.1x | 0.47% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in West Virginia by county?
What is the typical rent in West Virginia by county?
Which West Virginia counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.