How much rent can you afford in Morgantown, WV?
Run your salary against Morgantown's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Morgantown
At a median rent of $1,539/mo, Morgantown is stretched for most renters when measured against Morgantown median household income of $44,727/yr. Rent would consume roughly 41% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $61,560 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Morgantown compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Morgantown?
On a $44,727 salary (the Morgantown median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,118/mo. Morgantown's median rent is $1,539/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Morgantown?
To keep Morgantown's $1,539/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $61,560/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Morgantown affordable on the median West Virginia income?
Morgantown is stretched for most renters on a $44,727 income. Rent would take 41% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".