Rent Trends / WV
Rent Trends in West Virginia: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 22 cities in West Virginia. That sits $698 below (-35.5% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965.
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,965 (June 2026)
What the West Virginia rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in West Virginia from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside West Virginia and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,965/month in June 2026, up from $1,362 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in West Virginia has risen from about $1,113 to $1,267 (+13.8%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is -3.9% ($1,318 → $1,267).
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in West Virginia
Lowest 2026 rents
- Princeton — $788
- Weirton — $808
- Bluefield — $846
- Wheeling — $878
- Buckhannon — $925
Highest 2026 rents
- Charles Town — $1,976
- Ranson — $1,958
- Falling Waters — $1,892
- Inwood — $1,748
- Martinsburg — $1,651
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All West Virginia cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown | — | — | $1,099 | $1,076 | $1,096 | $1,160 | $1,192 | $1,280 | $1,349 | $1,420 | $1,468 | $1,539 | +40.0% | |
| Charleston | — | — | — | — | $967 | $965 | $1,024 | $1,056 | $1,116 | $1,178 | $1,248 | $1,370 | +41.7% | |
| Huntington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $855 | $885 | $923 | $976 | $1,067 | +24.8% | |
| Martinsburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,316 | $1,450 | $1,492 | $1,565 | $1,651 | +25.5% | |
| Parkersburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $968 | +0.0% | |
| Wheeling | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $765 | $817 | $851 | $878 | +14.8% | |
| Princeton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $788 | +0.0% | |
| Beckley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,158 | +0.0% | |
| Clarksburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,062 | +0.0% | |
| Fairmont | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,120 | $1,210 | $1,250 | +11.6% | |
| Charles Town | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,799 | $1,907 | $1,976 | +9.8% | |
| Buckhannon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $925 | +0.0% | |
| Weirton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $808 | +0.0% | |
| Bluefield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $846 | +0.0% | |
| Bridgeport | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,149 | +0.0% | |
| South Charleston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,088 | +0.0% | |
| Hedgesville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,550 | +0.0% | |
| Barboursville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,236 | +0.0% | |
| Inwood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,748 | +0.0% | |
| Vienna | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $963 | +0.0% | |
| Falling Waters | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,892 | +0.0% | |
| Ranson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,958 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — West Virginia rent
Is West Virginia cheap to rent in 2026?
Yes — relative to the national market. The average rent across 22 tracked West Virginia cities is about $1,267/month, which is $698 below (-35.5% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965. That is a city-average in our sample, not a single statewide ZORI print, but it is a clear signal that West Virginia screens cheaper than the U.S. typical $1,965.
What city in West Virginia has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Princeton is the lowest at about $788/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Weirton ($808), Bluefield ($846), Wheeling ($878).
What city in West Virginia has the most expensive rent?
Charles Town leads our sample at about $1,976/month in 2026, followed by Ranson ($1,958) and Falling Waters ($1,892).
How much have rents in West Virginia changed since 2015?
Open the yearly columns in the table for each city’s 2015–2026 path.
Are rents in West Virginia still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked West Virginia cities went from about $1,318 to $1,267 (-3.9%). Since 2023 ($1,113), that is +13.8%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.