The typical owner-occupied home in McDowell County is worth about $50,000, 69% below the West Virginia median of $162,600 and 85% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $337 a year in property taxes, about 0.67% of their home's value, higher than the West Virginia rate of 0.53%. The median household earns $31,559 a year, so the median home costs 1.6 times the median income (2.7 times for West Virginia). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 10% of those owners still have a mortgage.
McDowell County at a glance
| McDowell County | West Virginia | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $50,000 | $162,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $337 | $865 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.67% | 0.53% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $31,559 | $59,608 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 77% | 75% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 10% | 46% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $906 | $1,255 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.0% | 17.3% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $643 | $872 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.1% | 29.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1958 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 30.7% | 15.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 17,943 | 1,778,373 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in McDowell County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median McDowell County home of $50,000 with 20% down costs about $318 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $401, 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 $13,621 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 12% of the median McDowell County household income of $31,559; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $116,000.
The median rent here is $643 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $10,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $40,000 |
| Principal and interest | $269 |
| Property taxes (0.67% a year) | $28 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $21 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $318 |
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| Down payment | $1,750 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $49,094 |
| Principal and interest | $330 |
| Property taxes (0.67% a year) | $28 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $21 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $22 |
| Total per month | $401 |
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Questions about home buying in McDowell County
What is the median home value in McDowell County?
About $50,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in McDowell County?
Homeowners pay a median $337 a year, which is about 0.67% 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 McDowell County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $318 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $13,621 a year.
More about McDowell County
- Mortgage Refinance in McDowell County
- Debt Relief in McDowell County
- Home Equity Loans in McDowell County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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