States › West Virginia › Fairmont

Is Fairmont, WV expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,01542% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$67,980about $5,665/month · 22% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$163,80051% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 87% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $40,600 a year. That is $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other West Virginia cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of West Virginia. It is number 18 of 31 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Fairmont
$1,015
Weirton
$870
Martinsburg
$1,331
Beckley
$663
Clarksburg
$693
Teays Valley
$1,160
South Charleston
$1,011

How much do households earn in Fairmont?

Under $25k
18.2%
$25k–50k
22.1%
$50k–100k
37.7%
$100k–150k
12.2%
$150k+
4.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 16.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Fairmont

SizeFairmontU.S. average
Studio$799$1,338
1 bedroom$775$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,100$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,089$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,785$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Fairmont overall?

Everyday prices in West Virginia overall are 11% below the U.S. average (index 89.5, U.S. = 100).

Housing
54
Goods (food, clothes…)
97
Utilities
92
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Fairmont, so the West Virginia figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Fairmont

🏛️ Property tax$987a year · 0.60% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$122a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Fairmont

Commute to work22.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree32.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home63.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fairmont?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $122 a month less.

Renting
$1,015
Owning
$1,137

Owning assumes a typical $163,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $16,380 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Fairmont, WV?

Renting in Fairmont costs a median of about $1,015 a month in 2026, including utilities. The West Virginia median is $1,007.

How much do I need to make to live in Fairmont?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $40,600 a year, or $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Fairmont cheap or expensive?

Fairmont is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.9% of the typical household income of $67,980. It ranks 18th cheapest of 31 West Virginia cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Fairmont?

The median homeowner in Fairmont pays $987 a year in property taxes, about 0.60% of the median home value.

Is Fairmont more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in West Virginia are 11% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Fairmont?

The median home value in Fairmont is $163,800, about 2.4 times the typical yearly household income.

18,221 people live in Fairmont. Numbers are typical (middle) values.