Dunbar, WV Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Dunbar. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Dunbar compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Dunbar, West Virginia

Cost of living in Dunbar research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Dunbar is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in West Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

87 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#11 Cheapest in West Virginia (of 30)
#600 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$123,692 Median home value
$935 Median rent
$58,379 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Dunbar, WV?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dunbar has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to West Virginia, Dunbar has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than West Virginia's index of 86.

The standard of living in Dunbar ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in West Virginia. By definition, that implies Dunbar ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Mountain State.

For more reading on life in Dunbar, check out:

Dunbar Cost Of Living Vs. West Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Dunbar. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Dunbar is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Dunbar is 96.

  • The Health index in Dunbar is 63.

  • The Housing index in Dunbar is 93.

  • The Transportation index in Dunbar is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Dunbar is 97.

Living Expense Dunbar West Virginia National Average
Overall 87 86 100
Services 97 95 100
Groceries 96 95 100
Health 63 61 100
Housing 93 95 100
Transportation 98 93 100
Utilities 97 93 100

Dunbar Cost Of Living Compared To West Virginia Averages

Services
Dunbar 97
West Virginia avg 95
Groceries
Dunbar 96
West Virginia avg 95
Health
Dunbar 63
West Virginia avg 61
Housing
Dunbar 93
West Virginia avg 95
Transportation
Dunbar 98
West Virginia avg 93
Utilities
Dunbar 97
West Virginia avg 93

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around West Virginia, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Dunbar, WV Housing Cost Breakdown

$123,692Median Home Value
$935Median Rent
$58,379Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in West Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dunbar is $123,692.

  • The Median Rent in Dunbar is $935.

  • The Median Income in Dunbar is $58,379.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dunbar is 2.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dunbar is 0.19x.

Statistic Dunbar West Virginia United States
Median Home Value $123,692 $174,411 $332,700
Median Rent $935 $872 $1,413
Median Income $58,379 $59,608 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.1x 2.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.18x 0.21x

Dunbar, WV Costs By Category

Detailed Dunbar Services costs vs. West Virginia
Item Dunbar West Virginia
Shampoo $1.18 $1.28
Movie $12.41 $12.13
Bowling $13.67 $18
Haircut $18.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.22 $45.56
Detailed Dunbar Groceries costs vs. West Virginia
Item Dunbar West Virginia
Ground Beef $5.57 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.83 $4.67
Potatoes $5.16 $4.93
Pizza $11.31 $12.09
Beer $10.19 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.56 $3.7
Detailed Dunbar Health costs vs. West Virginia
Item Dunbar West Virginia
Optometrist $172.33 $125.68
Doctor $158.83 $135.78
Dentist $107.83 $113.29
Detailed Dunbar Transportation costs vs. West Virginia
Item Dunbar West Virginia
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.0 $59.92
Detailed Dunbar Utilities costs vs. West Virginia
Item Dunbar West Virginia
All Electricity $189.47 $193.99
Phone $186.09 $192.25

Dunbar SnackAbility

6Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 5/10
Affordability 7/10
Diversity 8.5/10
Safety 4/10
Amenities 8.5/10
Education 8/10
Commute 8.5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Dunbar

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Dunbar. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Charleston, WV has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Dunbar.

  • Teays Valley, WV has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Dunbar.

  • South Charleston, WV has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Dunbar.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dunbar
Charleston, WV 47,421 92 1.1x
Teays Valley, WV 14,151 102 1.2x
South Charleston, WV 13,457 86 1.0x
St. Albans, WV 10,522 91 1.0x
Cross Lanes, WV 9,671 91 1.0x
Hurricane, WV 6,855 94 1.1x
Nitro, WV 6,853 83 1.0x