West Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Fayette County, WV

Prices around Fayette County, WV run 11.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $53,194 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $915 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $36,600 a year.

Fayette County, WV at a glance

Median household income

$53,194$4,433 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$915HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.4-11.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential WV
Population39,519Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Fayette County, WV?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$915Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$36,600To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,330At 30% of $53,194
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Fayette County, WV? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Fayette County, WV HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Fayette County, WV, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$631$7,572$25,24014.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$697$8,364$27,88015.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$915$10,980$36,60020.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,195$14,340$47,80027%
4-Bedroom Home$1,535$18,420$61,40034.6%

Rent in Fayette County, WV, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Fayette County, WV

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $53,194 a year ($4,433 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,216/moRent ($915 2-BR), utilities (~$139/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,330/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$887/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $53,194 leaves after West Virginia taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and West Virginia tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$53,194
$20,000$110,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$53,194
Net 81%
Fed 8%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$43,342After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,612Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,667Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,203 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,579 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,069 / yr

Living in Fayette County, WV: common questions

What is the median household income in Fayette County, WV?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Fayette County, WV is $53,194 per year (approximately $4,433 per month).

What is the average rent in Fayette County, WV?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $631 for a studio, $697 for one bedroom, $915 for two, $1,195 for three and $1,535 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Fayette County, WV expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Fayette County, WV?

To keep a $915 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $36,600 a year, or $3,050 a month. That is 69% of what the typical household in Fayette County, WV earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Fayette County, WV?

On the local median income of $53,194 ($4,433 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,216 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,330 for everything else and $887 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $915 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Fayette County, WV?

Homes in West Virginia paid 15.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $139. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.