Morgantown, WV Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Morgantown, WV Summary

Cost of living in Morgantown 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 Morgantown 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 Morgantown is 99, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Morgantown is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Morgantown ranks as the #25 cheapest in West Virginia out of 30.

  • Morgantown ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Morgantown is $273,557.

  • The median income in Morgantown is $42,245.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
99
Morgantown's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Morgantown, WV?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Morgantown has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to West Virginia, Morgantown has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than West Virginia's index of 87.

The standard of living in Morgantown ranks as #25 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in West Virginia. By definition, that implies Morgantown ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Mountain State.

For more reading on life in Morgantown, check out:

25 out of 30
In West Virginia
2,497 out of 6,489
In America

Morgantown Cost Of Living Vs. West Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Morgantown is 94.

  • The Groceries index in Morgantown is 98.

  • The Health index in Morgantown is 90.

  • The Housing index in Morgantown is 109.

  • The Transportation index in Morgantown is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Morgantown is 95.

Living Expense Morgantown West Virginia National Average
Overall 99 87 100
Services 94 95 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 90 96 100
Housing 109 62 100
Transportation 95 93 100
Utilities 95 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around West Virginia, check out:
Morgantown Cost of Living Vs. WV

Morgantown, WV Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Morgantown is $273,557.

  • The Median Rent in Morgantown is $888.

  • The Median Income in Morgantown is $42,245.

  • The Home Value To Income in Morgantown is 6.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Morgantown is 0.25x.

Statistic Morgantown West Virginia United States
Median Home Value $273,557 $170,604 $303,400
Median Rent $888 $850 $1,348
Median Income $42,245 $57,917 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.5x 2.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.18x 0.21x
$273,557
Median Home Value
$888
Median Rent
$42,245
Median Income

Morgantown, WV Costs By Category

Detailed Morgantown Services Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Morgantown West Virginia
Shampoo $1.15 $1.28
Movie $10.26 $12.13
Bowling $17.17 $18
Haircut $29.44 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.17 $45.56

Detailed Morgantown Groceries Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Morgantown 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

Detailed Morgantown Health Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Morgantown West Virginia
Optometrist $126.67 $125.68
Doctor $137.65 $135.78
Dentist $100.44 $113.29

Detailed Morgantown Transportation Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Morgantown West Virginia
Gasoline $3.46 $3.46
Tire Balancing $47.54 $59.92

Detailed Morgantown Utilities Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Morgantown West Virginia
All Electricity $178.61 $193.99
Phone $185.45 $192.25

Morgantown SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
8
Affordability
4
Diversity
7
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Morgantown

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

  • West Mifflin, PA has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x Morgantown.

  • Whitehall, PA has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Morgantown.

  • Washington, PA has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Morgantown.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Morgantown
West Mifflin, PA 19,338 86 0.9x
Whitehall, PA 14,863 100 1.0x
Washington, PA 13,361 90 0.9x
Jefferson Hills, PA 12,313 109 1.1x
Cheat Lake, WV 10,485 112 1.1x
Canonsburg, PA 9,682 96 1.0x
Pleasant Hills, PA 8,418 99 1.0x
White Oak, PA 7,520 93 0.9x
Centerville, SC 6,860 92 0.9x
Brookhaven, WV 6,465 97 1.0x

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