Housing decision brief
Wood County, WV Housing Market
Wood 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.
37th lowest home value out of 55 West Virginia counties with data | 33rd lowest rent out of 55
Median home value
$153,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$789/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$653/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$136/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $136/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.61% effective property-tax rate is 27% above West Virginia county median
Health context
Health score is 38.8 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
Poor Fit For
- 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 Wood 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. | $153,700 | $135,800 | $281,900 | 13% pressure13% above West Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $789 | $753 | $1,163 | 5% pressure5% above West Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $653 | $562 | $1,672 | 16% pressure16% above West Virginia county median |
Median household income | $56,193 | $53,475 | $74,755 | 5% favorable5% above West Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.61% | 0.48% | 1.02% | 27% pressure27% above West Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 11% pressure30.00% 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
+$24,633
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,207
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Wood County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $789/month representing approximately 16.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Wood County is $789/month, while owner costs run $653/month. Owning saves approximately $136/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,986/year. With a median household income of $56,193, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Wood County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lewis County where rent averages $737/month, Wood County is approximately 7% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, WV | $154,600 | $720/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,600 home value and $720/mo rent. |
| Upshur County, WV | $160,700 | $799/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,700 home value and $799/mo rent. |
| Harrison County, WV | $158,500 | $848/mo | Same-state comparison near $158,500 home value and $848/mo rent. |
| Ohio County, WV | $165,300 | $823/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,300 home value and $823/mo rent. |
| Randolph County, WV | $137,800 | $807/mo | Same-state comparison near $137,800 home value and $807/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Wood County
Is Wood County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Wood County?
How much income do you need for housing in Wood County?
What should I double-check before moving to Wood County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.