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Cost & Benefits

Most affordable towns in West Virginia, 2026

Teays Valley is the most affordable ranked town in West Virginia. Rent, the regional price level, taxes, and electricity are 22.5% each. Gasoline is 10%. A lower score is more affordable.

Summary

31
Towns ranked in West Virginia.
Teays Valley
Number 1 in West Virginia. Rent is 12.2% of income. National rank 52.
19.2%
Median rent share among ranked towns in West Virginia.
6
Ranked West Virginia towns in the national top 100.
Ranson corporation
Least affordable ranked town in West Virginia. Rent is 20.6% of income. National rank 3105.

Gasoline

$4.035

per gallon. EIA does not publish a West Virginia price. This is the Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C) price for the week of October 12, 2026. At 12,000 miles a year and 25 mpg, that is $1,936.80 a year for every ranked town in West Virginia.

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Cost & Benefits. "2026 Most Affordable Towns Index: West Virginia." October 16, 2026. https://costandbenefits.com/reports/most-affordable-towns-2026/west-virginia

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Benefits and taxes in West Virginia

Top 25

  1. #1 in West Virginia · National #52

    Teays Valley

    Rent share 12.2% · Price level 88.4 · Score 0.171

    Median rent is $1,102 a month and median income is $108,741, so rent is 12.2% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro price level is 88.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is tax burden.

  2. #2 in West Virginia · National #62

    New Martinsville

    Rent share 13.5% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.173

    Median rent is $688 a month and median income is $60,946, so rent is 13.5% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  3. #3 in West Virginia · National #81

    Weirton

    Rent share 15.0% · Price level 89.0 · Score 0.182

    Median rent is $746 a month and median income is $59,575, so rent is 15.0% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH metro price level is 89.0 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  4. #4 in West Virginia · National #86

    Hurricane

    Rent share 14.8% · Price level 88.4 · Score 0.183

    Median rent is $878 a month and median income is $71,167, so rent is 14.8% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro price level is 88.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is tax burden.

  5. #5 in West Virginia · National #87

    Bridgeport

    Rent share 13.3% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.183

    Median rent is $1,105 a month and median income is $100,022, so rent is 13.3% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is tax burden.

  6. #6 in West Virginia · National #92

    Vienna

    Rent share 16.1% · Price level 87.1 · Score 0.185

    Median rent is $809 a month and median income is $60,388, so rent is 16.1% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro price level is 87.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  7. #7 in West Virginia · National #111

    South Charleston

    Rent share 15.9% · Price level 88.7 · Score 0.191

    Median rent is $844 a month and median income is $63,884, so rent is 15.9% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Charleston, WV metro price level is 88.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  8. #8 in West Virginia · National #163

    Charleston

    Rent share 16.6% · Price level 88.7 · Score 0.205

    Median rent is $908 a month and median income is $65,812, so rent is 16.6% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Charleston, WV metro price level is 88.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is tax burden.

  9. #9 in West Virginia · National #182

    Cheat Lake

    Rent share 11.5% · Price level 93.3 · Score 0.209

    Median rent is $1,124 a month and median income is $117,014, so rent is 11.5% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Morgantown, WV metro price level is 93.3 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is tax burden.

  10. #10 in West Virginia · National #248

    Fairmont

    Rent share 17.4% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.222

    Median rent is $916 a month and median income is $63,032, so rent is 17.4% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  11. #11 in West Virginia · National #259

    Cross Lanes

    Rent share 17.9% · Price level 88.7 · Score 0.225

    Median rent is $949 a month and median income is $63,537, so rent is 17.9% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Charleston, WV metro price level is 88.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  12. #12 in West Virginia · National #260

    Brookhaven

    Rent share 15.0% · Price level 93.3 · Score 0.225

    Median rent is $1,104 a month and median income is $88,438, so rent is 15.0% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Morgantown, WV metro price level is 93.3 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is tax burden.

  13. #13 in West Virginia · National #314

    Parkersburg

    Rent share 19.2% · Price level 87.1 · Score 0.235

    Median rent is $785 a month and median income is $49,025, so rent is 19.2% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro price level is 87.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  14. #14 in West Virginia · National #331

    Pea Ridge

    Rent share 18.5% · Price level 88.4 · Score 0.237

    Median rent is $1,014 a month and median income is $65,811, so rent is 18.5% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro price level is 88.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  15. #15 in West Virginia · National #400

    Oak Hill

    Rent share 19.4% · Price level 88.4 · Score 0.245

    Median rent is $847 a month and median income is $52,466, so rent is 19.4% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Beckley, WV metro price level is 88.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  16. #16 in West Virginia · National #402

    Dunbar

    Rent share 19.2% · Price level 88.7 · Score 0.245

    Median rent is $935 a month and median income is $58,379, so rent is 19.2% of income, even with the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Charleston, WV metro price level is 88.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  17. #17 in West Virginia · National #442

    Wheeling

    Rent share 19.6% · Price level 88.3 · Score 0.250

    Median rent is $794 a month and median income is $48,590, so rent is 19.6% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Wheeling, WV-OH metro price level is 88.3 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  18. #18 in West Virginia · National #471

    Bluefield

    Rent share 19.5% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.254

    Median rent is $804 a month and median income is $49,375, so rent is 19.5% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  19. #19 in West Virginia · National #496

    Buckhannon

    Rent share 19.4% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.256

    Median rent is $885 a month and median income is $54,615, so rent is 19.4% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  20. #20 in West Virginia · National #532

    Moundsville

    Rent share 20.4% · Price level 88.3 · Score 0.261

    Median rent is $834 a month and median income is $49,048, so rent is 20.4% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Wheeling, WV-OH metro price level is 88.3 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  21. #21 in West Virginia · National #535

    Clarksburg

    Rent share 20.0% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.262

    Median rent is $790 a month and median income is $47,386, so rent is 20.0% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  22. #22 in West Virginia · National #577

    Princeton

    Rent share 20.4% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.267

    Median rent is $747 a month and median income is $43,900, so rent is 20.4% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  23. #23 in West Virginia · National #627

    St. Albans

    Rent share 20.7% · Price level 88.7 · Score 0.271

    Median rent is $931 a month and median income is $53,972, so rent is 20.7% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Charleston, WV metro price level is 88.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  24. #24 in West Virginia · National #701

    Nitro

    Rent share 21.1% · Price level 88.7 · Score 0.279

    Median rent is $949 a month and median income is $53,848, so rent is 21.1% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Charleston, WV metro price level is 88.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  25. #25 in West Virginia · National #1016

    Beckley

    Rent share 22.8% · Price level 88.4 · Score 0.305

    Median rent is $869 a month and median income is $45,826, so rent is 22.8% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Beckley, WV metro price level is 88.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

Least affordable 10

  1. #31 in West Virginia · National #3105

    Ranson corporation

    Rent share 20.6% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.448

    Median rent is $1,536 a month and median income is $89,523, so rent is 20.6% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  2. #30 in West Virginia · National #2328

    Morgantown

    Rent share 25.1% · Price level 93.3 · Score 0.392

    Median rent is $937 a month and median income is $44,727, so rent is 25.1% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Morgantown, WV metro price level is 93.3 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  3. #29 in West Virginia · National #1973

    Martinsburg

    Rent share 23.2% · Price level 94.2 · Score 0.368

    Median rent is $1,150 a month and median income is $59,555, so rent is 23.2% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV metro price level is 94.2 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  4. #28 in West Virginia · National #1946

    Charles Town

    Rent share 15.0% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.366

    Median rent is $1,115 a month and median income is $89,263, so rent is 15.0% of income, under the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  5. #27 in West Virginia · National #1460

    Elkins

    Rent share 24.5% · Price level 89.5 · Score 0.334

    Median rent is $903 a month and median income is $44,217, so rent is 24.5% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The West Virginia state price level is 89.5 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  6. #26 in West Virginia · National #1268

    Huntington

    Rent share 24.3% · Price level 88.4 · Score 0.321

    Median rent is $912 a month and median income is $45,100, so rent is 24.3% of income, over the 19.2% median for ranked towns in West Virginia. The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro price level is 88.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 15.78 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

The formula

A lower score is more affordable. Rent share, the regional price level, taxes, and electricity each count 22.5%. Gasoline counts 10%. Those weights are our choice. Gasoline stays at 10% because the miles figure is one national standard, not a measured town commute. This is not a government standard.

A percentile is the share of ranked towns with a strictly lower number, divided by the number of ranked towns minus one. The lowest number scores 0. Tied numbers share a percentile.

  1. Rent share = (median monthly rent × 12) / median household income. Both figures are the Census 2020–2024 medians for that place.
  2. RPP-adjusted cost is the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. A basket priced at 100 for the U.S. average costs this many dollars in the town's area. We use the metro index when the county is in a metro BEA publishes. Otherwise we use the state index and say so. This index includes housing, so housing also shows up in the rent share.
  3. Tax burden is the average of three percentiles. Income-tax share is state income tax plus the stored 2023 local AGI add-on, divided by the town's median household income, on a joint return. Property share is the state's median effective property-tax rate times the town's median home value, divided by income. Sales rate is the combined state and average local sales-tax rate. We do not turn the sales rate into dollars, because that would require a shopping basket we do not have.
  4. Electricity is the state residential price in cents per kilowatt-hour. Every town in a state shares it. We do not guess how many kilowatt-hours a home uses.
  5. Gasoline is the EIA retail price for all grades and all formulations, in dollars per gallon. Where EIA publishes a state series, we use that state. Every other state uses the PADD region EIA assigns to it. Census does not publish commuting miles for these towns, so annual gas spend is 12,000 miles a year divided by 25 miles per gallon, times the price. That is 480 gallons, the same for every town. Those miles are our standard, not an ACS figure and not a government mileage rule. Because the gallons do not change, the gas percentile is the percentile of the price.

    Weekly prices are for the week of October 12, 2026, from the EIA workbook released October 14, 2026. File: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/xls/pswrgvwall.xls. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon use West Coast (PADD 5) Except California. That series is not in the weekly workbook, so those five use the monthly price dated September 15, 2026. File: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_a_epm0_pte_dpgal_m.htm.

    • State series, week of October 12, 2026: California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington.
    • Central Atlantic (PADD 1B), week of October 12, 2026: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
    • Gulf Coast (PADD 3), week of October 12, 2026: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico.
    • Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C), week of October 12, 2026: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia.
    • Midwest (PADD 2), week of October 12, 2026: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin.
    • New England (PADD 1A), week of October 12, 2026: Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.
    • Rocky Mountain (PADD 4), week of October 12, 2026: Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming.
    • West Coast (PADD 5) Except California, September 15, 2026: Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon.

Score = 0.225 × rent percentile + 0.225 × price-level percentile + 0.225 × tax score + 0.225 × electricity percentile + 0.10 × gasoline percentile. Rank 1 is the lowest score. If scores tie, the lower rent share wins, then the lower price level, then the place slug in A-to-Z order.

Questions

What is the most affordable town in West Virginia in this index?

Teays Valley is number 1 of 31 ranked towns in West Virginia. Median rent is 12.2% of median income. Its national rank is 52.

How many towns in West Virginia were ranked?

31 towns in West Virginia have at least 5,000 people and published Census rent, income, and home value. Places missing one of those figures are left out.

Does this ranking approve benefits in West Virginia?

No. Cost & Benefits does not approve or deny benefits. The score is a cost comparison only.