Housing decision brief
Gilmer County, WV Housing Market
Gilmer County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
4th lowest home value out of 55 West Virginia counties with data | 30th lowest rent out of 55
Median home value
$83,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$764/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$340/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$424/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$83,300 median home value is 39% below West Virginia county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $424/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 88.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$50,991 median income is 5% below West Virginia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.51% effective property-tax rate is 5% above West Virginia county median
Health context
Health score is 39.5 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Gilmer County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $83,300 | $135,800 | $281,900 | 39% favorable39% below West Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $764 | $753 | $1,163 | Near state median1% above West Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $340 | $562 | $1,672 | 40% favorable40% below West Virginia county median |
Median household income | $50,991 | $53,475 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below West Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.51% | 0.48% | 1.02% | 5% pressure5% above West Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 7% favorable25.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$20,431
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$36,420
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Gilmer County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $764/month in gross rent, with 25.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Gilmer County pay $764/month on average, compared to $340/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 55%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $14,571/year. With a median household income of $50,991, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Gilmer County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within West Virginia, Gilmer County is less affordable than Hardy County by roughly 7% ($764/mo vs $820/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming County, WV | $78,400 | $737/mo | Same-state comparison near $78,400 home value and $737/mo rent. |
| Boone County, WV | $90,300 | $823/mo | Same-state comparison near $90,300 home value and $823/mo rent. |
| Fayette County, WV | $104,200 | $777/mo | Same-state comparison near $104,200 home value and $777/mo rent. |
| Lincoln County, WV | $103,400 | $727/mo | Same-state comparison near $103,400 home value and $727/mo rent. |
| Wetzel County, WV | $102,800 | $703/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,800 home value and $703/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Gilmer County
Is Gilmer County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Gilmer County?
How much income do you need for housing in Gilmer County?
What should I double-check before moving to Gilmer County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.