How many renters live in Berkeley County, West Virginia?
The County of Berkeley County has 129,490 people living in 51,145 households.
There are 23,067 renters living in 9,995 renter households in this County. Renters make up 17.81 percent of the population living in Berkeley County.
What is the rental market like in Berkeley County, West Virginia?
There are an estimated 51,292 housing units in the Berkeley County area. Of these, 12,107 units are rental homes, making up 24 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Berkeley County, West Virginia, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Berkeley County?
The rental vacancy rate in Berkeley County is 1 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in Berkeley County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Berkeley County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158 | 1,994 | 4,157 | 4,646 | 876 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Berkeley County
A large number of apartments in Berkeley 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 Berkeley County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 48 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 30 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 Berkeley County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $911 to $1,953. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $911 |
| One BR | $916 |
| Two BR | $1,151 |
| Three BR | $1,573 |
| Four BR | $1,953 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Berkeley County, West Virginia
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Berkeley 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 | 124 | 78 percent |
| One BR | 1,333 | 67 percent |
| Two BR | 2,225 | 54 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Berkeley County, West Virginia
How many affordable rental units are in Berkeley County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Berkeley County, West Virginia including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 1,537 |
| Public Housing | 327 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 382 |
| Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities | 36 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 695 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Berkeley County, West Virginia
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Berkeley County, West Virginia
Berkeley County features 3,088 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 Berkeley County, West Virginia
There are 1,254 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Berkeley County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Berkeley County, West Virginia
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Berkeley County landlords $600 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $400 towards rent in Berkeley County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Berkeley County, West Virginia for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,036 and $1,266.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
