Cost of living in Fairmont 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 Fairmont 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:
The cost of living index in Fairmont is 86, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fairmont is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Fairmont ranks as the #8 cheapest in West Virginia out of 30.
Fairmont ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Fairmont is $184,078.
The median income in Fairmont is $60,791.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fairmont has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to West Virginia, Fairmont has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than West Virginia's index of 83.
The standard of living in Fairmont ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in West Virginia. By definition, that implies Fairmont ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the Mountain State.
For more reading on life in Fairmont, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fairmont. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fairmont is 96.
The Groceries index in Fairmont is 98.
The Health index in Fairmont is 91.
The Housing index in Fairmont is 70.
The Transportation index in Fairmont is 95.
The Utilities index in Fairmont is 95.
| Living Expense | Fairmont | West Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86 | 83 | 100 | |
| Services | 96 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 70 | 60 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 95 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Fairmont is $184,078.
The Median Rent in Fairmont is $902.
The Median Income in Fairmont is $60,791.
The Home Value To Income in Fairmont is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fairmont is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Fairmont | West Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $184,078 | $170,604 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $902 | $850 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $60,791 | $57,917 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.0x | 2.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Fairmont | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.15 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.26 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $17.17 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $29.44 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.17 | $45.56 |
| Item | Fairmont | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.63 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.35 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.56 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.49 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.17 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.15 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.8 | $3.7 |
| Item | Fairmont | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $126.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $137.65 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.44 | $113.29 |
| Item | Fairmont | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.46 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $47.54 | $59.92 |
| Item | Fairmont | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $178.61 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $185.45 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fairmont. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Morgantown, WV has a cost of living index of 99, 1.2x Fairmont.
Clarksburg, WV has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Fairmont.
Bridgeport, WV has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Fairmont.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fairmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WV | 30,273 | 99 | 1.2x |
| Clarksburg, WV | 15,829 | 84 | 1.0x |
| Bridgeport, WV | 9,292 | 104 | 1.2x |
| Brookhaven, WV | 6,465 | 97 | 1.1x |