West Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Wood County, WV

Prices around Wood County, WV run 12.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $57,810 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $928 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,120 a year.

Wood County, WV at a glance

Median household income

$57,810$4,818 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$928HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)87.1-12.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential WV
Population83,407Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Wood 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$928Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,445At 30% of $57,810
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Wood County, WV, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$741$8,892$29,64015.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$745$8,940$29,80015.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$928$11,136$37,12019.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,194$14,328$47,76024.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,253$15,036$50,12026%

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

What a typical income covers in Wood County, WV

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $57,810 a year ($4,818 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,409/moRent ($928 2-BR), utilities (~$139/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,445/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$964/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $57,810 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.

$57,810
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$57,810
Net 81%
Fed 8%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,857After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,905Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,802Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,757 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,774 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,422 / yr

Living in Wood County, WV: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Wood County, WV is $57,810 per year (approximately $4,818 per month).

What is the average rent in Wood County, WV?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $741 for a studio, $745 for one bedroom, $928 for two, $1,194 for three and $1,253 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 Wood County, WV expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 87.1, 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 Wood County, WV?

To keep a $928 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,120 a year, or $3,093 a month. That is 64% of what the typical household in Wood County, WV earns.

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

On the local median income of $57,810 ($4,818 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,409 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,445 for everything else and $964 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $928 takes 39% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Wood 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.