How many renters live in Monongalia County, West Virginia?
The County of Monongalia County has 106,869 people living in 44,767 households.
There are 37,754 renters living in 18,876 renter households in this County. Renters make up 35.33 percent of the population living in Monongalia County.
What is the rental market like in Monongalia County, West Virginia?
There are an estimated 49,952 housing units in the Monongalia County area. Of these, 21,408 units are rental homes, making up 43 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Monongalia County, West Virginia, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Monongalia County?
The rental vacancy rate in Monongalia County is 12 percent. This is a higher than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are high it means that there are a lot of available units and rents tend to be lower.
How many rental units are in Monongalia County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Monongalia County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,355 | 4,244 | 8,598 | 3,447 | 833 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Monongalia County
A large number of apartments in Monongalia County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Monongalia County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 55 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 31 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Monongalia County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $857 to $1,829. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $857 |
| One BR | $862 |
| Two BR | $1,078 |
| Three BR | $1,346 |
| Four BR | $1,829 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Monongalia County, West Virginia
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Monongalia County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 1,177 | 87 percent |
| One BR | 2,757 | 65 percent |
| Two BR | 5,804 | 68 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Monongalia County, West Virginia
How many affordable rental units are in Monongalia County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Monongalia County, West Virginia including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 403 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 370 |
| Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities | 35 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 88 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Monongalia County, West Virginia
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Monongalia County, West Virginia
Monongalia County features 444 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Monongalia County, West Virginia
There are 768 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Monongalia County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Monongalia County, West Virginia
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Monongalia County landlords $600 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Monongalia County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Monongalia County, West Virginia for a two-bedroom apartment is between $970 and $1,186.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
