Rents are right about where Morgantown's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,413 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
August. Asking rents in Morgantown usually run 0.5% below trend in August and 0.3% above it in June, about $11 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Morgantown is 0% below its high of $1,413 in August 2026, at $1,413 as of September 2026.
Rent in Morgantown changed +4.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 10 West Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Morgantown rose 26.7% while median household income rose 4.1% ($42,966 to $44,727). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Morgantown is 34.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
30% of the median household income ($44,727) is $1,118 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,087); a 3-bedroom is $1,310.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Morgantown, 26508 ($3,571/mo), costs 2.7 times the cheapest, 26505 ($1,315/mo).
Fairmont, 14 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,170/mo), about $2,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Morgantown. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Morgantown, WV is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 58.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Morgantown, WV has changed in 5 years
Rent in Morgantown, WV has climbed 26.3% since 2021, going from about $1,119 per month to roughly $1,413 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Morgantown, WV now reports about $44,727, up from $36,991 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 5.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 29,316 to 30,236 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.1% change. About 56.3% of households rent today, against 58.4% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 55.7% to 58.5%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Morgantown, WV reflects that arc in its own way.
Discussions about Morgantown
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Morgantown on your salary?
At $1,413/mo, how Morgantown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Morgantown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Morgantown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Morgantown
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Morgantown is $1,413/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $857/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,087/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $860/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,310/mo.
At 38% of local median household income ($44,727/yr), Morgantown ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Morgantown?
Is rent going up or down in Morgantown?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Morgantown?
Has rent outpaced income in Morgantown?
Which Morgantown neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Morgantown rent compare to other cities in West Virginia?
At $1,413/mo, rent takes ~38% of Morgantown's median household income ($44,727/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Morgantown.
No discussions yet.