ZIP Code · WV

ZIP 26501

Part of Morgantown, WV

Pop. 19,529·Monongalia County·7th most expensive ZIP in West Virginia

Median rent (all units)

$1,364/mo

Year-over-Year

-0.4%

Month-over-Month

-0.7%

vs US Median

-$568

Reported rents

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 26501 · $1,364

More affordable than 82% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$850

1 BR

$850

2 BR

$1,070

3 BR

$1,280

4 BR+

$1,610

Research median

$1,070/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 26501 is 2.6% below its high of $1,400 in June 2026, at $1,364 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of West Virginia

Rent in ZIP 26501 changed -0.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 14 West Virginia ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.5%.

Recent direction

Rent has fallen 3 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($63,529) is $1,588 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,280); a 4-bedroom is $1,610.

Rank in Morgantown

2nd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Morgantown.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 26501. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$16,368/yr

At $1,364/mo median

Location

CityMorgantown

StateWV

CountyMonongalia County

Rent Market Meter

Renter's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are softening (down 0.4% YoY), so renters have negotiating leverage.

Based on rent-price momentum (-0.4% YoY, -0.7% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 26501 (Morgantown, WV) is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 44.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

19,529

Median income

$63,529

Median age

39.8

Renters

39.1%

Age distribution

14.5%

27.3%

29.8%

12.7%

15.7%

Under 1814.5%

18–3427.3%

35–5429.8%

55–6412.7%

65+15.7%

Gender

53.6%

46.4%

Male53.6%

Female46.4%

Race & ethnicity

86.8%

White86.8%

Black5.5%

Hispanic2.3%

Asian1.6%

Other3.8%

Education (25+)

29.8%

20.1%

44.7%

No HS diploma5.4%

HS diploma29.8%

Some college20.1%

Bachelor's+44.7%

Housing tenure

60.9%

39.1%

Owner60.9%

Renter39.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2023 vs 2026

How ZIP 26501 in Morgantown, WV has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,217 → $1,364

up 12.1%

Income

$55,413 → $63,529

up 14.6%

Population

20,206 → 19,529

down 3.4%

Renter share

42.8% → 39.1%

-3.7 pts

Bachelor's+

43.8% → 44.7%

+0.9 pts

Median age

38.6 → 39.8

+1.2 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 26501 in Morgantown, WV has shifted from $1,217 to $1,364, up 12.1% since 2023. Median household income climbed from $55,413 to $63,529 between 2021 and 2024, a 14.6% shift. Census counts show ZIP 26501 in Morgantown, WV losing about 677 residents over the five-year window, down 3.4% on net. The renter share has eased from 42.8% to 39.1%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 26501 in Morgantown, WV reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 26501

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 26501 covers Morgantown, WV. The median rent here is $1,364/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $850/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,070/mo.

At 26% of local median household income ($63,529/yr), ZIP 26501 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.4% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 26501?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $55,000/year (about $26/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,364/mo in ZIP 26501. The local median household income is $63,529/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 26501?

Rent in ZIP 26501 has been roughly flat over the past year as of September 2026, a -0.4% change. It sits 2.6% below its high of $1,400 in June 2026.

How does ZIP 26501 compare to other ZIPs in West Virginia?

ZIP 26501 is in the middle among West Virginia ZIP codes for rent, ranking #7 of 17 at $1,364/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 26501 changed -0.4%, against a typical +3.5% across the 14 West Virginia ZIP codes Zillow tracks.