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Buying a home in Terra Alta, West Virginia

The typical owner-occupied home in Terra Alta is worth about $95,200, 41% below the West Virginia median of $162,600 and 71% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $617 a year in property taxes, about 0.65% of their home's value, higher than the West Virginia rate of 0.53%. The median household earns $50,536 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (2.7 times for West Virginia). 69% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Terra Alta at a glance

Terra Alta West Virginia U.S.
Median home value $95,200 $162,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $617 $865 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.65% 0.53% 0.94%
Median household income $50,536 $59,608 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 69% 75% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 53% 46% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $909 $1,255 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.4% 17.3% 21.0%
Median rent $742 $872 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.9% 29.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1964 1976 1980
Vacant homes 16.2% 15.4% 10.1%
Population 1,841 1,778,373 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Terra Alta

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Terra Alta home of $95,200 with 20% down costs about $604 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $762, 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 $25,867 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 14% of the median Terra Alta household income of $50,536; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $186,000.

The median rent here is $742 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$19,040
Loan amount$76,160
Principal and interest$512
Property taxes (0.65% a year)$52
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$40
PMI$0
Total per month$604

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,332
Loan amount$93,476
Principal and interest$629
Property taxes (0.65% a year)$52
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$40
FHA mortgage insurance$42
Total per month$762

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Questions about home buying in Terra Alta

What is the median home value in Terra Alta?

About $95,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Terra Alta?

Homeowners pay a median $617 a year, which is about 0.65% 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 Terra Alta?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $604 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $25,867 a year.

More about Terra Alta

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