The typical owner-occupied home in Cowen is worth about $52,100, 68% below the West Virginia median of $162,600 and 84% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $333 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 $27,708 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (2.7 times for West Virginia). 57% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 32% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Cowen at a glance
| Cowen | West Virginia | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $52,100 | $162,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $333 | $865 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.64% | 0.53% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $27,708 | $59,608 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 57% | 75% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 32% | 46% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,272 | $1,255 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.7% | 17.3% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $675 | $872 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 39.2% | 29.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 18.0% | 15.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 485 | 1,778,373 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Cowen
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Cowen home of $52,100 with 20% down costs about $330 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $417, 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 $14,138 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 14% of the median Cowen household income of $27,708; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $102,000.
The median rent here is $675 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $10,420 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $41,680 |
| Principal and interest | $280 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $28 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $22 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $330 |
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| Down payment | $1,824 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $51,156 |
| Principal and interest | $344 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $28 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $22 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $23 |
| Total per month | $417 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Cowen
What is the median home value in Cowen?
About $52,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Cowen?
Homeowners pay a median $333 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 Cowen?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $330 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $14,138 a year.
More about Cowen
- Mortgage Refinance in Cowen
- Debt Relief in Cowen
- Home Equity Loans in Cowen
- 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