County FMR · HUD FY2026

Ohio County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Ohio County, WV - 15% below the US average.

$816
1-bedroom FMR
$991
2-bedroom FMR
+3.8%
YoY change
-15%
vs US avg

The verdict

Ohio is the 10th most expensive of 55 counties in West Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,385 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#1,385
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#10
most expensive of 55 in West Virginia (2BR)
+7%
vs the state average
$32,640
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.2%).

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

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Ohio County, West Virginia at $816 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $991/mo and a studio is $683/mo. This is 15% lower than the national average of $959 and 7% above the West Virginia average of $766.

Rent increased3.8% from FY 2025 ($786), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,640/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in West Virginia. Population: 42,224. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.5%, Census ACS). That's in line with West Virginia's statewide growth of -2.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area OHIO·COUNTY·WV·WV

Ohio County, WV: $816/mo 1BR · #1385 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WV
  • 1BR-FMR $816
  • 2BR-FMR $991
  • RANK-MID #1,385
  • YOY-UP +3.8%
  • VSUS-BELOW -15%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +7% WV
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-SMALL 42K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Kanawha County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $734–$898
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Kanawha ($13 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $714 · US avg: $893
$683/mo
↑ 4.4% YoY -4% vs state -24% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $766 · US avg: $959
$816/mo
↑ 3.8% YoY +7% vs state -15% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $945 · US avg: $1,175
$991/mo
↑ 3.9% YoY +5% vs state -16% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,231 · US avg: $1,525
$1,277/mo
↑ 4.0% YoY +4% vs state -16% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,380 · US avg: $1,756
$1,413/mo
↑ 2.5% YoY +2% vs state -20% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $654
$683
+$29 (+4.4%)
1 Bedroom $786
$816
+$30 (+3.8%)
2 Bedroom $954
$991
+$37 (+3.9%)
3 Bedroom $1,228
$1,277
+$49 (+4.0%)
4 Bedroom $1,379
$1,413
+$34 (+2.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
14.2%
Affordable
Need $27,320/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
16.9%
Affordable
Need $32,640/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
20.6%
Affordable
Need $39,640/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
26.5%
Affordable
Need $51,080/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
29.3%
Affordable
Need $56,520/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%20.6%
Ohio County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $57,867 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View West Virginia rent burden →

Where Ohio sits among every US county

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

$991 higher than 44% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $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 Ohio compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other West Virginia counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Ohio 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), Ohio County (this county) ($816), 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 $816/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 9.5% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $80,490 12.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,990 12.2% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $74,520 13.1% Affordable
Electricians $63,850 15.3% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $55,550 17.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $54,570 17.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,620 19.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,040 20% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $37,610 26% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,370 26.2% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $30,590 32% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,220 34.7% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $27,910 35.1% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $24,960 39.2% 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 Ohio County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Ohio (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.2% overall, from $570 to $816. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.4% (FY 2024).

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $816
Ohio County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑3.8% $683 $816 $991
FY 2025 ↑10.1% $654 $786 $954
FY 2024 ↑10.4% $607 $714 $895
FY 2023 ↑10.0% $563 $647 $827
FY 2022 ↑3.2% $539 $588 $762
FY 2021 ↑0.0% $550 $570 $740
FY 2020 $566 $570 $737
Total change (6yr): +43.2%
Annualized: +6.2%/yr
1 BR: $570 → $816

Part of the Wheeling, WV-OH Metro Area

Ohio County is a central county of the Wheeling, WV-OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Ohio County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Belmont County ($816), Marshall County ($816), Ohio County (this county) ($816).

Belmont County
1 BR: $816/mo
Marshall County
1 BR: $816/mo
Ohio County (this county)
1 BR: $816/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Ohio 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).

Belmont County
OH · 2 BR $991/mo
Douglas County
MN · 2 BR $991/mo
Wells County
IN · 2 BR $991/mo
Craig County
OK · 2 BR $991/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Yalobusha County
MS · 20.5% of income · 2 BR $842/mo
Delaware County
OK · 20.6% of income · 2 BR $944/mo
Graves County
KY · 20.5% of income · 2 BR $866/mo
Barry County
MI · 20.6% of income · 2 BR $1,334/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 Ohio County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Ohio County is $816 per month. A 2-bedroom is $991 and a studio is $683.
How does Ohio County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Ohio County is 15% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $816 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Ohio County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Ohio County's 2-bedroom FMR of $991 ranks #1,385 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Ohio County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,640 ($2,720/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Ohio County.
Is rent going up or down in Ohio County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ohio County increased by 3.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $786 to $816.
Which jobs can afford rent in Ohio 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 $816/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Ohio County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ohio County went from $570 in FY 2020 to $816 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Ohio County? ▼
In Ohio County, the FY 2026 FMR of $816/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 Ohio County? ▼
For Ohio County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($816/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.