Cost of living in West Virginia
Rent, taxes, earnings and more across all 55 West Virginia counties.
Last updated May 21, 2026
Taxes in West Virginia
State income, sales and local tax rates.
West Virginia has a graduated state income tax ranging from 2.36% to 5.12%.
Use our salary calculator to see your take-home pay in West Virginia
Tax information is for general reference. Consult a qualified tax professional for advice on your specific situation.
Rent in West Virginia
The average one-bedroom rent across West Virginia is $754/mo. Rent varies from $649/mo in Braxton County to $1,253/mo in Hampshire County.
Cheapest places to live in West Virginia
Top 10 counties by estimated single-person monthly cost.
- #1 Braxton County$2,377/moRent$649/mo Income$44,449/yr#1 Braxton County $2,377/mo $649/mo $44,449/yr
- #2 McDowell County$2,409/moRent$649/mo Income$29,980/yr#2 McDowell County $2,409/mo $649/mo $29,980/yr
- #3 Tyler County$2,429/moRent$688/mo Income$58,293/yr#3 Tyler County $2,429/mo $688/mo $58,293/yr
- #4 Pocahontas County$2,431/moRent$769/mo Income$41,200/yr#4 Pocahontas County $2,431/mo $769/mo $41,200/yr
- #5 Calhoun County$2,453/moRent$688/mo Income$41,421/yr#5 Calhoun County $2,453/mo $688/mo $41,421/yr
- #6 Webster County$2,460/moRent$649/mo Income$42,061/yr#6 Webster County $2,460/mo $649/mo $42,061/yr
- #7 Ritchie County$2,468/moRent$649/mo Income$50,256/yr#7 Ritchie County $2,468/mo $649/mo $50,256/yr
- #8 Randolph County$2,479/moRent$671/mo Income$55,057/yr#8 Randolph County $2,479/mo $671/mo $55,057/yr
- #9 Pleasants County$2,501/moRent$649/mo Income$61,038/yr#9 Pleasants County $2,501/mo $649/mo $61,038/yr
- #10 Mingo County$2,503/moRent$649/mo Income$39,527/yr#10 Mingo County $2,503/mo $649/mo $39,527/yr
Rankings include rent, utilities, groceries, transport, healthcare and taxes. See our methodology.
Most expensive places to live in West Virginia
Top 10 counties by estimated single-person monthly cost.
- #1 Hampshire County$3,145/moRent$1,253/mo Income$60,299/yr#1 Hampshire County $3,145/mo $1,253/mo $60,299/yr
- #2 Jefferson County$3,081/moRent$950/mo Income$95,523/yr#2 Jefferson County $3,081/mo $950/mo $95,523/yr
- #3 Berkeley County$3,012/moRent$959/mo Income$77,329/yr#3 Berkeley County $3,012/mo $959/mo $77,329/yr
- #4 Putnam County$2,973/moRent$843/mo Income$77,871/yr#4 Putnam County $2,973/mo $843/mo $77,871/yr
- #5 Harrison County$2,809/moRent$855/mo Income$58,326/yr#5 Harrison County $2,809/mo $855/mo $58,326/yr
- #6 Kanawha County$2,794/moRent$856/mo Income$58,887/yr#6 Kanawha County $2,794/mo $856/mo $58,887/yr
- #7 Jackson County$2,787/moRent$704/mo Income$55,671/yr#7 Jackson County $2,787/mo $704/mo $55,671/yr
- #8 Wayne County$2,786/moRent$850/mo Income$55,539/yr#8 Wayne County $2,786/mo $850/mo $55,539/yr
- #9 Marion County$2,769/moRent$819/mo Income$67,537/yr#9 Marion County $2,769/mo $819/mo $67,537/yr
- #10 Lewis County$2,760/moRent$754/mo Income$52,279/yr#10 Lewis County $2,760/mo $754/mo $52,279/yr
Highest earning counties in West Virginia
Top 10 by average household income.
- #1 Jefferson County$95,523/yrCost$3,081/mo Rent$950/mo#1 Jefferson County $95,523/yr $3,081/mo $950/mo
- #2 Putnam County$77,871/yrCost$2,973/mo Rent$843/mo#2 Putnam County $77,871/yr $2,973/mo $843/mo
- #3 Berkeley County$77,329/yrCost$3,012/mo Rent$959/mo#3 Berkeley County $77,329/yr $3,012/mo $959/mo
- #4 Mineral County$68,049/yrCost$2,726/mo Rent$747/mo#4 Mineral County $68,049/yr $2,726/mo $747/mo
- #5 Marion County$67,537/yrCost$2,769/mo Rent$819/mo#5 Marion County $67,537/yr $2,769/mo $819/mo
- #6 Morgan County$63,805/yrCost$2,688/mo Rent$733/mo#6 Morgan County $63,805/yr $2,688/mo $733/mo
- #7 Monongalia County$62,704/yrCost$2,695/mo Rent$844/mo#7 Monongalia County $62,704/yr $2,695/mo $844/mo
- #8 Pendleton County$61,738/yrCost$2,559/mo Rent$688/mo#8 Pendleton County $61,738/yr $2,559/mo $688/mo
- #9 Grant County$61,530/yrCost$2,528/mo Rent$649/mo#9 Grant County $61,530/yr $2,528/mo $649/mo
- #10 Preston County$61,373/yrCost$2,749/mo Rent$844/mo#10 Preston County $61,373/yr $2,749/mo $844/mo
All 55 counties in West Virginia
Sorted by population. Type to filter.
- Kanawha County Pop178,198 Rent$856/mo Income$58,887/yr Cost$2,794/mo
- Berkeley County Pop126,165 Rent$959/mo Income$77,329/yr Cost$3,012/mo
- Monongalia County Pop106,520 Rent$844/mo Income$62,704/yr Cost$2,695/mo
- Cabell County Pop93,300 Rent$850/mo Income$52,828/yr Cost$2,671/mo
- Wood County Pop83,829 Rent$776/mo Income$56,193/yr Cost$2,666/mo
- Raleigh County Pop73,666 Rent$713/mo Income$52,055/yr Cost$2,592/mo
- Harrison County Pop65,407 Rent$855/mo Income$58,326/yr Cost$2,809/mo
- Mercer County Pop59,062 Rent$683/mo Income$47,799/yr Cost$2,541/mo
- Jefferson County Pop58,546 Rent$950/mo Income$95,523/yr Cost$3,081/mo
- Putnam County Pop57,250 Rent$843/mo Income$77,871/yr Cost$2,973/mo
- Marion County Pop56,042 Rent$819/mo Income$67,537/yr Cost$2,769/mo
- Ohio County Pop41,904 Rent$786/mo Income$57,867/yr Cost$2,649/mo
- Fayette County Pop39,987 Rent$674/mo Income$52,672/yr Cost$2,544/mo
- Wayne County Pop38,498 Rent$850/mo Income$55,539/yr Cost$2,786/mo
- Preston County Pop34,204 Rent$844/mo Income$61,373/yr Cost$2,749/mo
- Greenbrier County Pop32,688 Rent$697/mo Income$48,662/yr Cost$2,550/mo
- Logan County Pop31,826 Rent$769/mo Income$47,237/yr Cost$2,620/mo
- Marshall County Pop30,129 Rent$786/mo Income$60,329/yr Cost$2,708/mo
- Hancock County Pop28,658 Rent$711/mo Income$61,017/yr Cost$2,624/mo
- Randolph County Pop27,782 Rent$671/mo Income$55,057/yr Cost$2,479/mo
- Jackson County Pop27,753 Rent$704/mo Income$55,671/yr Cost$2,787/mo
- Mineral County Pop26,922 Rent$747/mo Income$68,049/yr Cost$2,726/mo
- Mason County Pop25,214 Rent$769/mo Income$53,454/yr Cost$2,723/mo
- Nicholas County Pop24,446 Rent$700/mo Income$49,280/yr Cost$2,531/mo
- Upshur County Pop23,758 Rent$722/mo Income$51,859/yr Cost$2,612/mo
- Hampshire County Pop23,340 Rent$1,253/mo Income$60,299/yr Cost$3,145/mo
- Mingo County Pop22,979 Rent$649/mo Income$39,527/yr Cost$2,503/mo
- Brooke County Pop22,053 Rent$711/mo Income$52,116/yr Cost$2,584/mo
- Boone County Pop21,312 Rent$712/mo Income$56,152/yr Cost$2,616/mo
- Wyoming County Pop20,948 Rent$702/mo Income$48,038/yr Cost$2,543/mo
- Lincoln County Pop20,170 Rent$729/mo Income$48,593/yr Cost$2,649/mo
- McDowell County Pop18,413 Rent$649/mo Income$29,980/yr Cost$2,409/mo
- Morgan County Pop17,327 Rent$733/mo Income$63,805/yr Cost$2,688/mo
- Lewis County Pop16,808 Rent$754/mo Income$52,279/yr Cost$2,760/mo
- Taylor County Pop16,543 Rent$731/mo Income$56,807/yr Cost$2,602/mo
- Barbour County Pop15,454 Rent$769/mo Income$48,347/yr Cost$2,630/mo
- Hardy County Pop14,236 Rent$719/mo Income$49,302/yr Cost$2,508/mo
- Wetzel County Pop14,233 Rent$701/mo Income$53,341/yr Cost$2,561/mo
- Roane County Pop13,921 Rent$769/mo Income$45,194/yr Cost$2,627/mo
- Monroe County Pop12,401 Rent$751/mo Income$54,508/yr Cost$2,509/mo
- Braxton County Pop12,345 Rent$649/mo Income$44,449/yr Cost$2,377/mo
- Summers County Pop11,833 Rent$688/mo Income$42,544/yr Cost$2,542/mo
- Grant County Pop10,972 Rent$649/mo Income$61,530/yr Cost$2,528/mo
- Ritchie County Pop8,372 Rent$649/mo Income$50,256/yr Cost$2,468/mo
- Webster County Pop8,253 Rent$649/mo Income$42,061/yr Cost$2,460/mo
- Tyler County Pop8,181 Rent$688/mo Income$58,293/yr Cost$2,429/mo
- Clay County Pop7,946 Rent$856/mo Income$42,790/yr Cost$2,713/mo
- Pocahontas County Pop7,855 Rent$769/mo Income$41,200/yr Cost$2,431/mo
- Doddridge County Pop7,767 Rent$688/mo Income$61,164/yr Cost$2,652/mo
- Pleasants County Pop7,572 Rent$649/mo Income$61,038/yr Cost$2,501/mo
- Gilmer County Pop7,376 Rent$722/mo Income$50,991/yr Cost$2,529/mo
- Tucker County Pop6,698 Rent$763/mo Income$53,475/yr Cost$2,620/mo
- Calhoun County Pop6,158 Rent$688/mo Income$41,421/yr Cost$2,453/mo
- Pendleton County Pop6,111 Rent$688/mo Income$61,738/yr Cost$2,559/mo
- Wirt County Pop5,131 Rent$776/mo Income$54,688/yr Cost$2,644/mo
Compare any two areas in West Virginia
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about West Virginia
Common questions about cost of living, taxes and rent.
What is the cost of living in West Virginia?
The average cost of living in West Virginia is approximately $2,635 per month for a single person. This includes rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare and taxes. Costs range from $2,377/mo in Braxton County to $3,145/mo in Hampshire County.
What is the average rent in West Virginia?
The average one-bedroom rent in West Virginia is $754 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data across all 55 counties.
What is the average salary in West Virginia?
The average household income in West Virginia is $54,746 per year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Does West Virginia have state income tax?
Yes, West Virginia has a graduated income tax ranging from 2.36% to 5.12%.
What is the sales tax in West Virginia?
The combined state and local sales tax rate in West Virginia averages 6.56%. The state rate is 6.00% with an average local addition of 0.56%.
What are the cheapest places to live in West Virginia?
The cheapest counties to live in West Virginia based on overall monthly costs are: 1. Braxton County ($2,377/mo), 2. McDowell County ($2,409/mo), 3. Tyler County ($2,429/mo), 4. Pocahontas County ($2,431/mo), 5. Calhoun County ($2,453/mo).
What are the most expensive places to live in West Virginia?
The most expensive counties to live in West Virginia based on overall monthly costs are: 1. Hampshire County ($3,145/mo), 2. Jefferson County ($3,081/mo), 3. Berkeley County ($3,012/mo), 4. Putnam County ($2,973/mo), 5. Harrison County ($2,809/mo).
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About this data
All figures on this page come from official U.S. government sources.
- U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-Year Estimates)
- HUD Fair Market Rents FY2025
- Energy Information Administration (EIA)
- Tax Foundation state and local rates