Housing decision brief
Morgan County, WV Housing Market
Morgan County screens as a higher 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.
52nd lowest home value out of 55 West Virginia counties with data | 43rd lowest rent out of 55
Median home value
$223,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$832/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$863/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$31/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.51% effective property-tax rate is 6% above West Virginia county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 44.2 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Morgan 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. | $223,100 | $135,800 | $281,900 | 64% pressure64% above West Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $832 | $753 | $1,163 | 10% pressure10% above West Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $863 | $562 | $1,672 | 54% pressure54% above West Virginia county median |
Median household income | $63,805 | $53,475 | $74,755 | 19% favorable19% above West Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.51% | 0.48% | 1.02% | 6% pressure6% above West Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 27.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% 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
+$30,525
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,819
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Morgan County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $832/month , about 15.6% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Morgan County pay $832/month on average, compared to $863/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 4%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,986/year. With a median household income of $63,805, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Morgan County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Wayne County where rent averages $883/month, Morgan County is approximately 6% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire County, WV | $204,600 | $732/mo | Same-state comparison near $204,600 home value and $732/mo rent. |
| Monongalia County, WV | $254,200 | $943/mo | Same-state comparison near $254,200 home value and $943/mo rent. |
| Pendleton County, WV | $178,600 | $754/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,600 home value and $754/mo rent. |
| Doddridge County, WV | $160,000 | $827/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,000 home value and $827/mo rent. |
| Putnam County, WV | $214,200 | $975/mo | Same-state comparison near $214,200 home value and $975/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Morgan County
Is Morgan County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Morgan County?
How much income do you need for housing in Morgan County?
What should I double-check before moving to Morgan County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.