Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

Renting · Section 8

Data from November 2026

Renting in Raleigh County, West Virginia

Raleigh County has a HUD fair market rent of $972 a month for 2 bedrooms (Fiscal year 2027). Renter households here pay a typical rent of $902 a month (Average 2020–2024). Paying the fair market rent without going over 30% of income takes $18.69 an hour, full time.

Figure your move-in cash Section 8 here
WhatsApp
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$972
a month, HUD, Fiscal year 2027
6% less than in West Virginia
Typical rent
$902
a month, Census, Average 2020–2024
3% more than in West Virginia
Wage needed
$18.69
an hour, 2 bedrooms
Or $38,880 a year, to spend no more than 30% of income on rent.
Rent-burdened households
54%
spend 30% or more of income on rent
11% more than in West Virginia

Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates

Only here

Renting in Raleigh County: what sets it apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in McDowell County, the typical rent is $643: 29% less than in Raleigh County ($902).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

Fair market rent

What HUD sets for each size

Every year HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) publishes a Fair Market Rent (FMR) for each home size in Raleigh County. It is used to work out how much a Section 8 voucher covers. The table shows what you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income.

The fair market rent covers rent plus basic utilities, except the phone. HUD generally sets it at the 40th percentile: 4 in 10 standard-quality homes rented recently cost less. 24 CFR §888.113(a)

According to Zillow (ZORI), the typical asking rent in Raleigh County was $1,069 a month in September 2026: 10.9% more than 12 months ago. It is an index of market listings, not a HUD limit. Zillow data

Fair market rent and wage needed To pay the fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income, working full time (40 hours a week).
Size Fair rent per month Hourly wage Income needed per year
Studio $755 $14.52 $30,200
1 bedroom $760 $14.62 $30,400
2 bedrooms $972 $18.69 $38,880
3 bedrooms $1,346 $25.88 $53,840
4 bedrooms $1,408 $27.08 $56,320

HUD area: Raleigh County, WV HUD Metro FMR Area. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

The fair market rent for your ZIP code

HUD also publishes fair market rents by ZIP code (Small Area FMRs) for 47 ZIP codes in Raleigh County (Fiscal year 2027). Type yours to see it.

For 2 bedrooms they run from $940 in 25811 to $1,190 in 25813. 11 ZIP codes are above the county's fair market rent ($972).

Where HUD designates these areas, or where the housing agency chooses to use them, the voucher is figured on the ZIP code's rent instead of the county's. Ask your agency which one it uses. 24 CFR §982.503(a)(1)

Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)

Rent burden

How many households spend too much

HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Raleigh County, 54% of renter households are in that position; in West Virginia, 49%, and nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).

Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.

54%

of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.

7,155 households rent in Raleigh County

  • Spend half or more of their income 36%
  • Spend 30% or more, but less than half 18%
  • Spend less than 30% 46%

Compared with the state and the country

  • Raleigh 54%
  • West Virginia 49%
  • United States 51%

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Raleigh County

HUD lists 24 properties with homes for low-income households in Raleigh County: tax-credit apartments (LIHTC), HUD-assisted buildings and public housing. They run from the most low-income homes to the fewest.

with tax credits (LIHTC)
11
HUD-assisted
12
public housing
2

1,520 homes in all; 1,288 of them low-income, according to HUD.

  • Beckley Housing Authority Public housing Beckley 25801 209 homes, 207 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Beckley · Average payment: $444 a month · Average wait: 23 months · (304) 256-1772
  • Wildwood House HUD-assisted 150 Autumn Ln, Beckley 25801 163 homes, 162 low-income · For older adults · (304) 253-3258
  • Beckley West Apts HUD-assisted 100 Mountain View Rd, Beckley 25801 160 homes, 159 low-income · For families · (304) 253-7020
  • Manor House HUD-assisted 624 Johnstown Rd, Beckley 25801 103 homes, 102 low-income · For older adults · (304) 255-0194
  • Willbrian Apartments HUD-assisted 510 Ewart Ave, Beckley 25801 100 low-income homes · For families · (304) 255-2652
  • Apple Tree/Timberline Townhomes Public housing Sophia 25921 60 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of Raleigh County · Average payment: $373 a month · Average wait: 3 months · (304) 255-5164
  • Heritage House Partners LTD Tax credit (LIHTC) 6 Yellow Wood Way, Beckley 25801 50 low-income homes · 1 bd: 30 · 2 bd: 20 · In service since 2004 · For older adults
  • Beckley Town Homes HUD-assisted 123 Hager St, Beckley 25801 50 homes, 49 low-income · For families · (304) 255-6985
  • Crossroads Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 113 Tanglewood Dr, Mount Hope 25880 49 low-income homes · 1 bd: 1 · 2 bd: 48 · In service since 2011 · For families
  • Crestview Village Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 222 Crestview Dr, Beckley 25801 48 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · 2 bd: 24 · In service since 2011 · For older adults
  • Oakmont Greene I Tax credit (LIHTC) 100 Oakmont Way, Mount Hope 25880 48 homes, 47 low-income · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 26 · 3 bd: 14 · In service since 2002 · For families
  • Edward S Crossing II Tax credit (LIHTC) 1123 Scott Ridge Rd, Beaver 25813 44 low-income homes · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 18 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2005 · For families
  • Roberts Village Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 100 Sunview Dr, Beaver 25813 44 low-income homes · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 24 · In service since 2001
  • Ashley Manor Apartments Tax credit (LIHTC) 301 Daniels Dr, Sophia 25921 40 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 18 · In service since 2020 · For older adults
  • Mountain Terrace HUD-assisted PO Box 354, Whitesville 25209 35 homes, 34 low-income · For older adults · (304) 854-0590
  • Cranberry Cove Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 500 McCulloch Dr, Beckley 25801 28 low-income homes · 1 bd: 4 · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 8 · In service since 2002 · For people with disabilities, families
  • South Vance Drive Apartments HUD-assisted 214 S Vance Dr, Beckley 25801 16 low-income homes · For people with disabilities · (304) 256-1770
  • FMRS Housing Inc HUD-assisted 212 S Vance Dr, Beckley 25801 15 low-income homes · For people with disabilities · (304) 256-7137
  • Greenbrier Estates Tax credit (LIHTC) · HUD-assisted 105 Sandstone Dr, Beckley 25801 150 homes, 10 low-income · In service since 2015 · For families · (304) 252-6264
  • Hunter Ridge Unity I HUD-assisted 5 Sand Branch RD, Mount Hope 25880 8 low-income homes · For families · (304) 364-2330, ext. 305
  • Hunter Ridge Unity II HUD-assisted 9 Sand Branch RD, Mount Hope 25880 8 low-income homes · For families · (304) 364-2330, ext. 305
  • Hunter Ridge Unity III HUD-assisted 116 Hunter Ridge Rd, Mount Hope 25880 8 low-income homes · For families · (304) 364-2330, ext. 305
  • Edward S Crossing LLC Tax credit (LIHTC) Edwards LN, Beaver 25813 44 homes
  • Vanmeter Heights Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 100 Jerome Van Meter Dr, Beckley 25801 40 homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 8 · In service since 2003 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families

One property has two programs at the same address and appears once. Search HUD's map

Source: HUD, retrieved November 6, 2026. LIHTC database, updated May 14, 2025; Assisted multifamily properties, updated October 23, 2026; Public housing developments, updated October 23, 2026.

Section 8

The Section 8 voucher in Raleigh County

The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) pays part of your rent on a home you choose. Your public housing agency runs it. 3 agencies serve in Raleigh County. Here is what the rules say:

The rules, with their source

  1. You apply at the public housing agency. If you qualify, your name usually goes on a waiting list. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or noncitizens with eligible status as HUD defines it. HUD

  2. Generally, your family must have very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income, by family size (the middle column of the table). 24 CFR §5.603, §982.201(b)

  3. Each year, at least 75% of the families an agency admits from its list must have extremely low income (the 30% column). 24 CFR §982.201(b)(2)

  4. If the rent is below the payment standard, the family generally pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. If it is above, the family pays more. 24 CFR §982.1(a)(3)

  5. When you move in, if the rent is above the payment standard, your share cannot go over 40% of your adjusted monthly income. 24 CFR §982.508

  6. Each agency sets a payment standard for each size. Without asking HUD, it can go from 90% to 110% of the fair market rent. 24 CFR §982.503(b), (c)

Mixed-status families: how assistance is figured
HUD income limits Yearly income of the whole family, before taxes.
People Extremely low (30%) Very low (50%) Low
$15,960 $26,300 $42,100
$21,640 $30,050 $48,100
$27,320 $33,800 $54,100
$33,000 $37,550 $60,100
$38,680 $40,600 $64,950
$43,600 $43,600 $69,750
$46,600 $46,600 $74,550
$49,600 $49,600 $79,350

Area median income: $74,200. HUD income limits by family size, Fiscal year 2026. Area: Raleigh County, WV HUD Metro FMR Area. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2026

How much can you earn? Check your case

Possible payment standard

  • Studio $680 – $831
  • 1 bedroom $684 – $836
  • 2 bedrooms $875 – $1,069
  • 3 bedrooms $1,211 – $1,481
  • 4 bedrooms $1,267 – $1,549

The range the rule allows: 90% to 110% of the county's fair market rent. Your agency publishes its own.

Housing agencies that serve this place

Housing agencies in West Virginia Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Your rights as a tenant in West Virginia

What West Virginia law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.

See your rights, rule by rule

Compare these rules with other states →

A summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.

Help

Where to get help with rent in Raleigh County

These are the nearest HUD-approved agencies. They counsel for free or at low cost.

  • Southern Appalachian Labor School Foundation, Inc.

    140 School Street, Oak Hill · 16 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 3 more
    (304) 250-7627

  • Housing Authority of Mingo County

    5026 Helena Avenue, Delbarton · 51 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (304) 475-4663
See every agency in West Virginia Find legal aid (lsc.gov)

Tool

How much cash do you need to move in?

It starts with the 2-bedroom fair market rent in Raleigh County. Change the rent, the deposit and the fees to yours: the numbers stay in your browser.

Count power on top of the rent: in West Virginia, the average home bill was $155 a month in 2024 (EIA). See electricity and gas costs

Open the full tool

Your move

We use the place's fair market rent and the state's deposit rule.

Adjust advanced details
Deposit and rent in advance
The deposit, in

Let's do the math

Cash to move in

$1,944

What you need before you get the keys.

What adds up

First month
$972
Security deposit
$972
Total
$1,944

The deposit cap

Pick your state to see whether its law caps the deposit.

Compare each state's rules →

When you'll have it

Enter what you can set aside each month to see how long it takes.

What helps

  • Ask for a receipt for every payment and keep a copy of the lease.
  • On move-in day, walk through the home and take dated photos.
  • Never send money for a home you haven't seen or a lease you haven't read.
Guide: the security depositGuide: avoiding rental scamsFamily budgetHow much rent can I afford?

This is a planning estimate, not a price. What you are asked for depends on the landlord, your lease and your state's and city's rules. It is not legal advice.

Guides

Before you sign

Frequently asked questions

What is the fair market rent in Raleigh County?

According to HUD (Fiscal year 2027): Studio: $755; 1 bedroom: $760; 2 bedrooms: $972; 3 bedrooms: $1,346; 4 bedrooms: $1,408. It covers rent plus basic utilities, except the phone.

How much do you need to earn to rent in Raleigh County?

Paying the 2-bedroom fair market rent ($972) without spending more than 30% of income takes $18.69 an hour full time, or $38,880 a year.

Who qualifies for Section 8 in Raleigh County?

Generally, families with very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income. For 4 people, HUD's limit here is $37,550 a year (Fiscal year 2026). The family usually pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. You apply at the housing agency.

How much does Section 8 pay in Raleigh County?

The voucher pays up to your housing agency's payment standard, minus your share. The rule lets the agency set it between 90% and 110% of the fair market rent: for 2 bedrooms here, between $875 and $1,069 a month. Your agency publishes its figure.

Does the fair market rent change by ZIP code in Raleigh County?

For 2 bedrooms they run from $940 in 25811 to $1,190 in 25813. Where HUD designates these areas, or where the housing agency chooses to use them, the voucher is figured on the ZIP code's rent instead of the county's. Ask your agency which one it uses.

How many low-income apartments are there in Raleigh County?

HUD lists 24 properties with homes for low-income households in Raleigh County: tax-credit apartments (LIHTC), HUD-assisted buildings and public housing. They run from the most low-income homes to the fewest. For tax-credit apartments and HUD-assisted buildings, you apply directly at the building's management office. They tell you whether units are open and how to apply; HUD does not have that information.

How many households spend too much on rent in Raleigh County?

HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Raleigh County, 54% of renter households are in that position; in West Virginia, 49%, and nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).