West Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Marshall County, WV

Prices around Marshall County, WV run 11.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $59,169 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $991 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $39,640 a year.

Marshall County, WV at a glance

Median household income

$59,169$4,931 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$991HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.3-11.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential WV
Population29,865Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Marshall 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$991Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$39,640To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,479At 30% of $59,169
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Marshall County, WV, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$683$8,196$27,32013.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$816$9,792$32,64016.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$991$11,892$39,64020.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,277$15,324$51,08025.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,413$16,956$56,52028.7%

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

What a typical income covers in Marshall County, WV

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,169 a year ($4,931 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,465/moRent ($991 2-BR), utilities (~$139/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,479/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$986/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,169 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.

$59,169
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,169
Net 81%
Fed 8%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,891After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,991Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,842Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,920 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,831 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,526 / yr

Living in Marshall County, WV: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Marshall County, WV is $59,169 per year (approximately $4,931 per month).

What is the average rent in Marshall County, WV?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $683 for a studio, $816 for one bedroom, $991 for two, $1,277 for three and $1,413 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 Marshall County, WV expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.3, 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 Marshall County, WV?

To keep a $991 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $39,640 a year, or $3,303 a month. That is 67% of what the typical household in Marshall County, WV earns.

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

On the local median income of $59,169 ($4,931 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,465 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,479 for everything else and $986 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $991 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Marshall 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.