Best Places to Buy Rental Property in West Virginia (2026)

We ranked all 16 West Virginia counties that have both a median home price and a median rent, ordered by the cap rate a median-priced rental would produce. Kanawha County leads at 6.4%, with a median price of $151,294.

West Virginia counties ranked by cap rate

#MarketCap rateMedian priceMedian rentCash flowAnalyze
1Kanawha County, WV6.4%$151,294$1,238-$33Run numbers
2Marion County, WV5.5%$167,401$1,171-$166Run numbers
3Raleigh County, WV5.3%$157,221$1,069-$176Run numbers
4Harrison County, WV5.3%$149,834$1,017-$169Run numbers
5Cabell County, WV5.0%$170,976$1,087-$241Run numbers
6Wood County, WV4.8%$173,101$1,063-$268Run numbers
7Fayette County, WV4.8%$139,740$856-$217Run numbers
8Upshur County, WV4.6%$157,014$925-$269Run numbers
9Marshall County, WV4.6%$136,635$800-$237Run numbers
10Berkeley County, WV4.3%$321,823$1,757-$640Run numbers
11Ohio County, WV4.2%$159,042$853-$327Run numbers
12Mercer County, WV4.1%$145,481$772-$304Run numbers
13Monongalia County, WV4.1%$263,546$1,384-$560Run numbers
14Jefferson County, WV3.9%$399,235$1,992-$917Run numbers
15Hancock County, WV3.8%$147,494$725-$346Run numbers
16Putnam County, WV3.5%$252,059$1,142-$654Run numbers

Looking for every county in the state, including those without rent data? Browse the full West Virginia market directory.

How this ranking is calculated

We scored 16 counties in West Virginia and ranked them by capitalization rate, calculated as annual net operating income divided by median home price. Markets without both a median home price and a median rent are excluded, because cash flow cannot be estimated without both.

Every figure assumes a median-priced home rented at the local median rent, financed with 20 percent down on a 30-year loan at 7.40%, with closing costs at 3 percent of price and operating costs at 35 percent of rent. Operating costs cover taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and management.

These are modeled estimates for comparing markets, not quotes on a specific property. A real deal turns on the individual property, its condition, and the actual rent it can command. Run any market that interests you through the calculator with real numbers before you make an offer.

National rankings

Compare West Virginia against the rest of the country.

Other states

States with fewer than 5 counties reporting both price and rent are omitted, because a ranking that short would not be meaningful.

Run the numbers on a West Virginia property

Start from Kanawha County median values and replace them with a real listing price and rent to see whether the deal actually works.