West Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Wayne County, WV

Prices around Wayne County, WV run 11.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $58,878 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.

Wayne County, WV at a glance

Median household income

$58,878$4,907 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$973HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.4-11.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential WV
Population38,164Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Wayne 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 income19.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,472At 30% of $58,878
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Wayne County, WV, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$848$10,176$33,92017.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$853$10,236$34,12017.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$973$11,676$38,92019.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,249$14,988$49,96025.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,410$16,920$56,40028.7%

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

What a typical income covers in Wayne County, WV

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $58,878 a year ($4,907 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,453/moRent ($973 2-BR), utilities (~$139/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,472/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$981/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $58,878 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.

$58,878
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$58,878
Net 81%
Fed 8%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,670After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,972Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,833Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,885 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,819 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,504 / yr

Living in Wayne County, WV: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Wayne County, WV is $58,878 per year (approximately $4,907 per month).

What is the average rent in Wayne County, WV?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $848 for a studio, $853 for one bedroom, $973 for two, $1,249 for three and $1,410 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 Wayne 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 Wayne 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 66% of what the typical household in Wayne County, WV earns.

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

On the local median income of $58,878 ($4,907 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,453 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,472 for everything else and $981 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $973 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Wayne 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.