Putnam County, West Virginia Housing Market Prices
Putnam 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 76% below the West Virginia median Among the top 3 cheapest counties in West Virginia$22,363
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Median rent 9% above the West Virginia median Among the 5 most expensive counties in West Virginia$952
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $22,363 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | -6.6% | 1.7% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $952 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.9% | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Putnam County is about 76% lower than in West Virginia. Rent is about 9% higher than the West Virginia average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Putnam County: home prices fell about 6.6% a year while rent rose about 2.9% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
Median rent in Putnam County rose about 30.2% between 2015 and 2024, from $731 to $952. Over the same span, rent in West Virginia rose about 35.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.3 yearly household incomes in Putnam County.
Buying the median-priced home in Putnam County costs roughly 2.0 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 Putnam County. The price-to-rent ratio in West Virginia is about 9.1.
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $22,363 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $80,154 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.3 | 1.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Putnam County fell about 73.8%, while median household income rose about 45.4% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 76.2% | 63.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 17.0% | 21.3% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.9% | 15.4% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 18.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2008 | 2011 |
Putnam County has a homeownership rate of 76.2%, higher than the West Virginia average of 63.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.9%, compared with 15.4% in West Virginia.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.45 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1980 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Putnam County was built around 1980. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.3 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Putnam County, WV Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Putnam County, WV is typical in size for this group, 57,177 residents against a local median of 60,222, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Putnam County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 83% below the local median of $133,670 at $22,363.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $952 against a local median of $811, 17% above it. The counties themselves spread $202,830 on median home price, so Putnam County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Putnam County, WV has the 5th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County, WV | 57,177 | $22,363 #5/5 | $952 #1/5 | 81.8% #2/5 |
| Mason County, WV | 25,043 | $181,696 | $671 | 81.8% |
| Cabell County, WV | 92,739 | $55,124 | $923 | 64.2% |
| Jackson County, WV | 27,705 | $257,954 | $716 | 78.6% |
| Kanawha County, WV | 176,529 | $85,645 | $906 | 71.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Putnam County, West Virginia.
What is the median home price in Putnam County, West Virginia?
The median home price in Putnam County, West Virginia is $22,363, lower than the West Virginia average of $94,699.
What is the average home price in Putnam County, West Virginia?
The typical home price in Putnam County, West Virginia, reported as the median sale price, is $22,363. 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 Putnam County, West Virginia?
The median gross rent in Putnam County, West Virginia is $952 per month, higher than the West Virginia average of $871.
What was the median gross rent in Putnam County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Putnam County, West Virginia was $856 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Putnam County, West Virginia?
The price-to-rent ratio in Putnam County, West Virginia is about 2.0, meaning it would take roughly 2.0 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 Putnam County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Putnam County, West Virginia?
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Putnam County: home prices fell about 6.6% a year while rent rose about 2.9% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
What is the homeownership rate in Putnam County, West Virginia?
76.2% of households in Putnam County, West Virginia own their home, higher than the West Virginia average of 63.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Putnam County, West Virginia?
The housing vacancy rate in Putnam County, West Virginia is 6.9%, lower than the West Virginia average of 15.4%.
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