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Buying a home in Alum Creek, West Virginia

The typical owner-occupied home in Alum Creek is worth about $159,300, about the same as the West Virginia median of $162,600 and 52% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $677 a year in property taxes, about 0.42% of their home's value, lower than the West Virginia rate of 0.53%. The median household earns $74,231 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (2.7 times for West Virginia). 91% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 35% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Alum Creek at a glance

Alum Creek West Virginia U.S.
Median home value $159,300 $162,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $677 $865 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.42% 0.53% 0.94%
Median household income $74,231 $59,608 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 91% 75% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 35% 46% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,608 $1,255 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 16.8% 17.3% 21.0%
Median rent $859 $872 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 17.1% 29.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1975 1976 1980
Vacant homes 21.0% 15.4% 10.1%
Population 1,749 1,778,373 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Alum Creek

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Alum Creek home of $159,300 with 20% down costs about $979 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,245, 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 $41,976 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Alum Creek household income of $74,231; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $282,000.

The median rent here is $859 a month, so owning the median home costs about $120 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$31,860
Loan amount$127,440
Principal and interest$857
Property taxes (0.42% a year)$56
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
PMI$0
Total per month$979

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,576
Loan amount$156,415
Principal and interest$1,052
Property taxes (0.42% a year)$56
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
FHA mortgage insurance$70
Total per month$1,245

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Questions about home buying in Alum Creek

What is the median home value in Alum Creek?

About $159,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Alum Creek?

Homeowners pay a median $677 a year, which is about 0.42% 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 Alum Creek?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $979 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $41,976 a year.

More about Alum Creek

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