County FMR · HUD FY2026

Clay County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Clay County, WV - 14% below the US average.

$829
1-bedroom FMR
$1,036
2-bedroom FMR
-3.2%
YoY change
-14%
vs US avg

The verdict

Clay is the 8th most expensive of 55 counties in West Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,541 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#1,541
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#8
most expensive of 55 in West Virginia (2BR)
+8%
vs the state average
$33,160
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.9%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Clay County, WV. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Clay County, West Virginia is $829 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,036/mo and a studio is $714/mo. This is 14% lower than the national average of $959 and 8% above the West Virginia average of $766.

Rent decreased3.2% from FY 2025 ($856), declining against the trend. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,160/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in West Virginia. Population: 8,049. Population declined 9.6% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than West Virginia's statewide growth of -2.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area CLAY·COUNTY·WV·WV

Clay County, WV: $829/mo 1BR · #1541 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WV
  • 1BR-FMR $829
  • 2BR-FMR $1,036
  • RANK-MID #1,541
  • YOY-DOWN -3.2%
  • VSUS-BELOW -14%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +8% WV
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-SMALL 8K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Kanawha County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $746–$912
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Kanawha ($0 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $714 · US avg: $893
$714/mo
↓ 1.2% YoY +0% vs state -20% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $766 · US avg: $959
$829/mo
↓ 3.2% YoY +8% vs state -14% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $945 · US avg: $1,175
$1,036/mo
↓ 1.7% YoY +10% vs state -12% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,231 · US avg: $1,525
$1,325/mo
↓ 2.3% YoY +8% vs state -13% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,380 · US avg: $1,756
$1,372/mo
↓ 1.8% YoY -1% vs state -22% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $723
$714
$-9 (-1.2%)
1 Bedroom $856
$829
$-27 (-3.2%)
2 Bedroom $1,054
$1,036
$-18 (-1.7%)
3 Bedroom $1,356
$1,325
$-31 (-2.3%)
4 Bedroom $1,397
$1,372
$-25 (-1.8%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Clay County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
20%
Affordable
Need $28,560/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.2%
Affordable
Need $33,160/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
29.1%
Affordable
Need $41,440/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
37.2%
Burdened
Need $53,000/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
38.5%
Burdened
Need $54,880/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%29.1%
Clay County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $42,790 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View West Virginia rent burden →

Where Clay sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,036 higher than 51% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Clay compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other West Virginia counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Clay is highlighted. Nearby West Virginia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Berkeley County ($971), Monongalia County ($877), Cabell County ($853), Clay County (this county) ($829), Kanawha County ($829), Wood County ($745), Raleigh County ($719).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $829/mo compares to West Virginia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation WV Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $103,550 9.6% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $80,490 12.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,990 12.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $74,520 13.3% Affordable
Electricians $63,850 15.6% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $55,550 17.9% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $54,570 18.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,620 20% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,040 20.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $37,610 26.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,370 26.6% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $30,590 32.5% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,220 35.3% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $27,910 35.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $24,960 39.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (West Virginia) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Clay County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Clay (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 21.2% overall, from $684 to $829. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.7% (FY 2023).

$650$700$750$800$850$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $829
Clay County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓3.2% $714 $829 $1,036
FY 2025 ↑4.9% $723 $856 $1,054
FY 2024 ↑7.8% $688 $816 $994
FY 2023 ↑9.7% $652 $757 $911
FY 2022 ↑3.9% $577 $690 $833
FY 2021 ↓2.9% $534 $664 $805
FY 2020 $542 $684 $832
Total change (6yr): +21.2%
Annualized: +3.3%/yr
1 BR: $684 → $829

Part of the Charleston, WV Metro Area

Clay County is a outlying county of the Charleston, WV metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Clay County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Kanawha County ($829), Clay County (this county) ($829), Boone County ($674).

Kanawha County
1 BR: $829/mo
Clay County (this county)
1 BR: $829/mo
Boone County
1 BR: $674/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Clay County, both outside West Virginia so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside WV (FY2026).

Monroe County
WI · 2 BR $1,036/mo
Steuben County
IN · 2 BR $1,036/mo
Gilmer County
GA · 2 BR $1,036/mo
De Witt County
IL · 2 BR $1,036/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WV).

Niobrara County
WY · 29.1% of income · 2 BR $1,186/mo
Goliad County
TX · 29.1% of income · 2 BR $1,442/mo
Fergus County
MT · 29.1% of income · 2 BR $1,446/mo
Duval County
FL · 29.1% of income · 2 BR $1,658/mo

Nearby Counties in West Virginia

Largest counties by population in West Virginia

Showing the 8 largest of 54 other counties in West Virginia.

Kanawha County
1 BR: $829/mo Pop: 179,895
Berkeley County
1 BR: $971/mo Pop: 123,283
Monongalia County
1 BR: $877/mo Pop: 105,988
Cabell County
1 BR: $853/mo Pop: 93,965
Wood County
1 BR: $745/mo Pop: 84,272
Raleigh County
1 BR: $719/mo Pop: 74,303
Harrison County
1 BR: $843/mo Pop: 65,862
Mercer County
1 BR: $717/mo Pop: 59,530
View all counties in West Virginia →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Clay County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Clay County is $829 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,036 and a studio is $714.
How does Clay County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Clay County is 14% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $829 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Clay County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Clay County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,036 ranks #1,541 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Clay County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,160 ($2,763/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Clay County.
Is rent going up or down in Clay County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Clay County decreased by 3.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $856 to $829.
Which jobs can afford rent in Clay County? ▼
Based on West Virginia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $829/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Clay County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Clay County went from $684 in FY 2020 to $829 in FY 2026, a total change of +21.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Clay County? ▼
In Clay County, the FY 2026 FMR of $829/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Clay County? ▼
For Clay County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($829/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.