Parkersburg, WV Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Parkersburg, WV Summary

Cost of living in Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg is 83, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Parkersburg is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Parkersburg ranks as the #1 cheapest in West Virginia out of 30.

  • Parkersburg ranks as the #306 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Parkersburg is $145,586.

  • The median income in Parkersburg is $44,675.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
83
Parkersburg's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Parkersburg, WV?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Parkersburg has an overall cost of living index of 83, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to West Virginia, Parkersburg has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than West Virginia's index of 87.

The standard of living in Parkersburg ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in West Virginia. By definition, that implies Parkersburg ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Mountain State.

For more reading on life in Parkersburg, check out:

1 out of 30
In West Virginia
306 out of 6,489
In America

Parkersburg Cost Of Living Vs. West Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Parkersburg is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Parkersburg is 102.

  • The Health index in Parkersburg is 100.

  • The Housing index in Parkersburg is 56.

  • The Transportation index in Parkersburg is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Parkersburg is 99.

Living Expense Parkersburg West Virginia National Average
Overall 83 87 100
Services 96 95 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 100 96 100
Housing 56 62 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 99 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around West Virginia, check out:
Parkersburg Cost of Living Vs. WV

Parkersburg, 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 Parkersburg is $145,586.

  • The Median Rent in Parkersburg is $746.

  • The Median Income in Parkersburg is $44,675.

  • The Home Value To Income in Parkersburg is 3.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Parkersburg is 0.2x.

Statistic Parkersburg West Virginia United States
Median Home Value $145,586 $170,604 $303,400
Median Rent $746 $850 $1,348
Median Income $44,675 $57,917 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.3x 2.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x
$145,586
Median Home Value
$746
Median Rent
$44,675
Median Income

Parkersburg, WV Costs By Category

Detailed Parkersburg Services Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg Groceries Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg Health Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Parkersburg West Virginia
Optometrist $172.33 $125.68
Doctor $158.83 $135.78
Dentist $107.83 $113.29

Detailed Parkersburg Transportation Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Parkersburg West Virginia
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.0 $59.92

Detailed Parkersburg Utilities Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Parkersburg West Virginia
All Electricity $189.47 $193.99
Phone $186.09 $192.25

Parkersburg SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
4
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Parkersburg

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

  • Murray, UT has a cost of living index of 117, 1.4x Parkersburg.

  • Athens, OH has a cost of living index of 96, 1.2x Parkersburg.

  • Marietta, OH has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Parkersburg.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Parkersburg
Murray, UT 49,904 117 1.4x
Athens, OH 23,211 96 1.2x
Marietta, OH 13,282 87 1.0x
Vienna, WV 10,575 88 1.1x
Newport, OR 10,393 114 1.4x
Logan, OH 7,077 83 1.0x
Belpre, OH 6,668 88 1.1x
New Martinsville, WV 5,175 86 1.0x

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