West Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hancock County, WV

Prices around Hancock County, WV run 11% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $61,466 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $973 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $38,920 a year.

Hancock County, WV at a glance

Median household income

$61,466$5,122 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$973HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.0-11% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential WV
Population28,431Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hancock 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$973Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,537At 30% of $61,466
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hancock County, WV, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$752$9,024$30,08014.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$757$9,084$30,28014.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$973$11,676$38,92019%
3-Bedroom Home$1,285$15,420$51,40025.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,482$17,784$59,28028.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Hancock County, WV

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $61,466 a year ($5,122 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,561/moRent ($973 2-BR), utilities (~$139/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,537/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,024/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $61,466 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.

$61,466
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$61,466
Net 81%
Fed 8%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,640After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,137Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,909Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,196 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,928 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,702 / yr

Living in Hancock County, WV: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hancock County, WV is $61,466 per year (approximately $5,122 per month).

What is the average rent in Hancock County, WV?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $752 for a studio, $757 for one bedroom, $973 for two, $1,285 for three and $1,482 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 Hancock County, WV expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 89.0, 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 Hancock County, WV?

To keep a $973 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $38,920 a year, or $3,243 a month. That is 63% of what the typical household in Hancock County, WV earns.

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

On the local median income of $61,466 ($5,122 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,561 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,537 for everything else and $1,024 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $973 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hancock 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.