West Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Roane County, WV

Prices around Roane County, WV run 10.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, West Virginia). The typical household there earns $45,778 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $869 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $34,760 a year.

Roane County, WV at a glance

Median household income

$45,778$3,815 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$869HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.5-10.5% · BEA, West Virginia
Electricity15.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential WV
Population13,786Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Roane 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$869Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$34,760To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,144At 30% of $45,778
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Roane County, WV, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$667$8,004$26,68017.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$793$9,516$31,72020.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$869$10,428$34,76022.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,173$14,076$46,92030.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,177$14,124$47,08030.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Roane County, WV

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $45,778 a year ($3,815 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,907/moRent ($869 2-BR), utilities (~$139/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,144/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$763/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $45,778 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.

$45,778
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,778
Net 82%
Fed 7%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,697After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,141Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,450Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,313 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,266 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,502 / yr

Living in Roane County, WV: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Roane County, WV is $45,778 per year (approximately $3,815 per month).

What is the average rent in Roane County, WV?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $667 for a studio, $793 for one bedroom, $869 for two, $1,173 for three and $1,177 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 Roane County, WV expensive to live in?

Prices there run 10.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for West Virginia is 89.5, 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 Roane County, WV?

To keep a $869 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $34,760 a year, or $2,897 a month. That is 76% of what the typical household in Roane County, WV earns.

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

On the local median income of $45,778 ($3,815 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,907 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,144 for everything else and $763 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $869 takes 46% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Roane 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.