County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hancock County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hancock County, WV - 21% below the US average.
- $757
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.5%
- YoY change
- -21%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hancock is the 13th most expensive of 55 counties in West Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #976
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #13
- most expensive of 55 in West Virginia (2BR)
- -1%
- vs the state average
- $30,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hancock County, WV. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Hancock County, West Virginia at $757 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $752/mo. This is 21% lower than the national average of $959 and 1% below the West Virginia average of $766.
Rent increased6.5% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,280/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in West Virginia. Population: 28,907. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-3.4%, Census ACS). That's in line with West Virginia's statewide growth of -2.4% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Hancock County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Hancock County's 2-bedroom of $973 ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 21% under the US average of $959 and 1% below West Virginia's $766. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $711 (FY 2025) to $757 (FY 2026), a +6.5% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $757 needs $30,280/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $61,017, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $973 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $706 | $752 | +$46 (+6.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $711 | $757 | +$46 (+6.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $899 | $973 | +$74 (+8.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,197 | $1,285 | +$88 (+7.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,352 | $1,482 | +$130 (+9.6%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Hancock County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
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.
Where Hancock sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties
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 Hancock compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other West Virginia counties
- Berkeley
Berkeley County
$971 1BR FMR / mo
- Monongalia
Monongalia County
$877 1BR FMR / mo
- Cabell
Cabell County
$853 1BR FMR / mo
- Kanawha
Kanawha County
$829 1BR FMR / mo
- Hancock
Hancock County
$757 1BR FMR / mo
- Wood
Wood County
$745 1BR FMR / mo
- Raleigh
Raleigh County
$719 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hancock is highlighted. Nearby West Virginia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Berkeley County ($971), Monongalia County ($877), Cabell County ($853), Kanawha County ($829), Hancock County (this county) ($757), Wood County ($745), Raleigh County ($719).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $757/mo, most of these West Virginia occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | WV Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $103,550 | 8.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,490 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,990 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,520 | 12.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $63,850 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $54,570 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,620 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,040 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,610 | 24.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,370 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $30,590 | 29.7% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,220 | 32.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $27,910 | 32.5% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $24,960 | 36.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hancock County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hancock (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 37.6% overall, from $550 to $757. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.8% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.5% | $752 | $757 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.9% | $706 | $711 | $899 |
| FY 2024 ↑8.8% | $660 | $678 | $860 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.8% | $619 | $623 | $794 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.3% | $557 | $578 | $738 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.7% | $511 | $576 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $453 | $550 | $696 |
Part of the Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Metro Area
Hancock County is a central county of the Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Hancock County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Jefferson County ($757), Brooke County ($757), Hancock County (this county) ($757).
Nearby Counties in West Virginia
Largest counties by population in West Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hancock County? ▼
How does Hancock County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Hancock County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Hancock County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Hancock County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Hancock County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Hancock County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hancock County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Hancock County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Hancock's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $757 implies about $30,280/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Hancock can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.
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.