Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Morgantown, WV?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23% of gross income.

Morgantown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (West Virginia state estimate).

Morgantown median rent
$1,539/mo
Registered Nurse salary (West Virginia)
$80,308/yr
Rent as % of income
23%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,692, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,008/mo in rent. Morgantown's median rent of $1,539 leaves roughly $469/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 39.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a registered nurse salary

Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.

Cheaper rent nearby

These West Virginia cities have lower median rent than Morgantown, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Martinsburg, WV
$1,536/mo (23% of income)
Martinsburg, WV
$1,533/mo (22.9% of income)
Martinsburg, WV
$1,527/mo (22.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Morgantown

View full rent data for Morgantown, WV

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Morgantown, WV?

Median rent in Morgantown is $1,539 a month. A typical registered nurse in West Virginia earns about $80,308 a year, which makes that rent 23% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Morgantown?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in West Virginia (~$80,308/yr) supports up to $2,008 a month in rent. Morgantown's current median rent is $1,539/mo, which leaves a $469/mo buffer.

How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Morgantown?

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a registered nurse in West Virginia works roughly 39.9 hours a month to cover Morgantown's median rent of $1,539.

Where is rent cheaper than Morgantown for a registered nurse?

Nearby West Virginia cities with lower median rent include Martinsburg ($1,536/mo), Martinsburg ($1,533/mo), Martinsburg ($1,527/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived West Virginia state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Morgantown, WV. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.