McDowell County, West Virginia Housing Market Prices
McDowell County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 1% above the West Virginia median$95,227
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Median rent 26% below the West Virginia median Cheaper than 91% of counties in West Virginia$642
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $95,227 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 23.6% | 1.7% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $642 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.0% | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in McDowell County is about 1% higher than in West Virginia. Rent is about 26% lower than the West Virginia average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in McDowell County, up about 23.6% and 3.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in McDowell County rose about 23.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $520 to $642. Over the same span, rent in West Virginia rose about 35.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.0 yearly household incomes in McDowell County.
Buying the median-priced home in McDowell County costs roughly 12.4 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in McDowell County. The price-to-rent ratio in West Virginia is about 9.1.
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $95,227 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $32,066 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.0 | 1.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in McDowell County rose about 222.5%, while median household income rose about 37.1% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 53.5% | 63.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 15.7% | 21.3% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 30.7% | 15.4% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 21.0 | 18.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2005 | 2008 | 2011 |
McDowell County has a homeownership rate of 53.5%, lower than the West Virginia average of 63.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 30.7%, compared with 15.4% in West Virginia.
Housing Stock
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.44 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1964 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.5 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in McDowell County was built around 1964. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.5 rooms, staying for about 21.0 years on average.
McDowell County, WV Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
McDowell County, WV is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 17,943 residents against a local median of 31,458. Nothing separates McDowell County, WV sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median rent, 14% below the local median at $642 against $743. McDowell County, WV has the 6th highest median rent of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell County, WV | 17,943 | $95,227 #3/6 | $642 #6/6 | 77.3% #3/6 |
| Wyoming County, WV | 20,629 | $33,392 | $649 | 82.5% |
| Tazewell County, VA | 39,616 | $184,376 | $794 | 74.4% |
| Buchanan County, VA | 19,415 | $99,903 | $743 | 83.1% |
| Logan County, WV | 31,458 | $93,898 | $709 | 77.0% |
| Mercer County, WV | 58,563 | $67,631 | $810 | 72.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in McDowell County, West Virginia.
What is the median home price in McDowell County, West Virginia?
The median home price in McDowell County, West Virginia is $95,227, higher than the West Virginia average of $94,699.
What is the average home price in McDowell County, West Virginia?
The typical home price in McDowell County, West Virginia, reported as the median sale price, is $95,227. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in McDowell County, West Virginia?
The median gross rent in McDowell County, West Virginia is $642 per month, lower than the West Virginia average of $871.
What was the median gross rent in McDowell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in McDowell County, West Virginia was $594 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in McDowell County, West Virginia?
The price-to-rent ratio in McDowell County, West Virginia is about 12.4, meaning it would take roughly 12.4 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in McDowell County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in McDowell County, West Virginia?
Both home prices and rent are rising in McDowell County, up about 23.6% and 3.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in McDowell County, West Virginia?
53.5% of households in McDowell County, West Virginia own their home, lower than the West Virginia average of 63.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in McDowell County, West Virginia?
The housing vacancy rate in McDowell County, West Virginia is 30.7%, higher than the West Virginia average of 15.4%.
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