How much house can I afford on $40,000 in West Virginia?
About $148,000 with 20% down ($117,000 with an FHA loan), using West Virginia's 0.51% property tax rate.
That is $28,638 less than the typical West Virginia home ($176,576), so on $40,000 you'd look at cheaper areas or a smaller home. The payment of $933 covers $796 principal and interest, $63 property tax and $74 insurance.
Counties in West Virginia you can afford on $40,000
26 of 55 counties have a typical home value at or below $148,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston County | $145,690 | +5.9% | 0.49% |
| Mercer County | $145,481 | +0.1% | 0.54% |
| Wayne County | $141,785 | +4.4% | 0.47% |
| Hancock County | $141,600 | +7.1% | 0.63% |
| Fayette County | $139,740 | +3.9% | 0.64% |
| Marshall County | $139,040 | +3.9% | 0.45% |
| Doddridge County | $136,177 | +12.7% | 0.5% |
| Braxton County | $136,031 | -1.4% | 0.45% |
| Lewis County | $128,840 | -2.7% | 0.46% |
| Brooke County | $128,596 | -0.8% | 0.53% |
| Roane County | $126,181 | +4.4% | 0.44% |
| Barbour County | $124,357 | -0.4% | 0.43% |
| Clay County | $120,944 | -0.4% | 0.35% |
| Gilmer County | $118,423 | +6.6% | 0.49% |
| Ritchie County | $116,307 | -3.9% | 0.66% |
| Tyler County | $113,494 | +0.3% | 0.57% |
| Wetzel County | $112,058 | +1.7% | 0.67% |
| Logan County | $107,969 | +2.9% | 0.56% |
| Wirt County | $107,854 | -4.9% | 0.52% |
| Calhoun County | $105,494 | +13.1% | 0.42% |
| Lincoln County | $98,800 | -11.6% | 0.51% |
| Boone County | $95,509 | +3.2% | 0.67% |
| Webster County | $84,311 | -1.1% | 0.4% |
| Mingo County | $73,736 | -3.7% | 0.47% |
| Wyoming County | $66,912 | +0.4% | 0.45% |
Affordable metro areas
Assumes a 30-year fixed loan at 7.11%, property tax of 0.51% of the home value a year, homeowners insurance of 0.6% a year, PMI of 0.5% of the loan a year when the down payment is under 20%, and FHA mortgage insurance of 0.55% a year plus a 1.75% upfront premium added to the loan. Your rate, taxes and insurance will differ.
Other salaries in West Virginia
Frequently asked questions
How much house can I afford on $40,000 in West Virginia?
About $148,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with West Virginia's 0.51% property tax and insurance) under $933 a month.
Is $40,000 enough to buy a house in West Virginia?
Not the typical home: the typical West Virginia home is worth $176,576 (Zillow, September 2026) and $40,000 supports about $148,000. 26 of 55 counties are within budget.