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Buying a home in Martinsburg, West Virginia

The typical owner-occupied home in Martinsburg is worth about $240,000, 48% above the West Virginia median of $162,600 and 28% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,529 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of their home's value, higher than the West Virginia rate of 0.53%. The median household earns $59,555 a year, so the median home costs 4.0 times the median income (2.7 times for West Virginia). 48% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 68% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Martinsburg at a glance

Martinsburg West Virginia U.S.
Median home value $240,000 $162,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,529 $865 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.64% 0.53% 0.94%
Median household income $59,555 $59,608 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 48% 75% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 68% 46% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,455 $1,255 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.1% 17.3% 21.0%
Median rent $1,150 $872 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.6% 29.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1969 1976 1980
Vacant homes 5.8% 15.4% 10.1%
Population 18,904 1,778,373 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Martinsburg

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Martinsburg home of $240,000 with 20% down costs about $1,520 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,919, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $65,126 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 31% of the median Martinsburg household income of $59,555; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $219,000.

The median rent here is $1,150 a month, so owning the median home costs about $370 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$48,000
Loan amount$192,000
Principal and interest$1,292
Property taxes (0.64% a year)$128
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$100
PMI$0
Total per month$1,520

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,400
Loan amount$235,653
Principal and interest$1,585
Property taxes (0.64% a year)$128
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$100
FHA mortgage insurance$106
Total per month$1,919

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Questions about home buying in Martinsburg

What is the median home value in Martinsburg?

About $240,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Martinsburg?

Homeowners pay a median $1,529 a year, which is about 0.64% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Martinsburg?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,520 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $65,126 a year.

More about Martinsburg

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data