Is Marion County, WV good for real estate investing?

Marion County has an investment score of 74/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #71 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Marion?

The rent-to-price ratio in Marion County is 8.21% annually, which ranks in the 90th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Marion?

The median home price in Marion County is $171,736. This ranks #251 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Marion?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Marion County would generate negative cash flow of $136/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Marion County

West VirginiaPopulation: 56,194

/100

Hold

#71 of 1,000 counties

#5 in West Virginia (55 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 20, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$171,736

Median Home Price

25% below national median

$1,175/mo

Median Rent

19% below national median

8.21%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 10% nationally

-$136

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,175/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$128,802	+$89/mo	7.1%	+3.6%
Median typical MLS deal	$171,736	-$136/mo	5.3%	-4.1%
125% of median newer / premium	$214,670	-$361/mo	4.3%	-8.8%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$171,736

Down Payment (20%)$34,347

Loan Amount$137,389

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,175

Monthly P&I-$900

Est. Expenses (35%)-$411

Net Cash Flow-$136/mo

5.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-4.1%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.21%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

74/100

Cash Flow(30%)

82/100

Based on 8.21% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

72/100

Based on 2.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

93/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (8.21%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 5.3% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

56,194

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up
+Institutional or out-of-state investors who target appreciation markets

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentMarionWV	74	$171,736	$1,175	8.21%	Buy
OhioWV	74	$154,458	$971	7.55%	Buy	View
TaylorWV	73	$185,741	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
NicholasWV	73	$158,409	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
KanawhaWV	73	$149,776	$1,081	8.66%	Buy	View
CabellWV	72	$166,212	$957	6.91%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldMarion scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $136/mo at current rates. Consider house hacking, value-add, or all-cash; otherwise a worse score with positive cash flow may be the better deal.

Marion County in West Virginia scores 74/100, ranking #71 of 1,000 US counties (top 9%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $136/month; the 8.21% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-136/mo

Cap Rate

5.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-4.1%

Related markets

Markets like Marion with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Marion

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in West Virginia →

Rent vs buy in West Virginia cities

Rent vs buy in Charleston, WVMedian $149,776 · rent $1,081/mo Rent vs buy in Huntington, WVMedian $166,212 · rent $957/mo Rent vs buy in Morgantown, WVMedian $252,570 · rent $1,416/mo Rent vs buy in Parkersburg, WVMedian $170,624 · rent $943/mo Rent vs buy in Wheeling, WVMedian $154,458 · rent $971/mo All West Virginia citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Marion?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,175/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$128,802	+$89/mo	7.1%	+3.6%
Median typical MLS deal	$171,736	-$136/mo	5.3%	-4.1%
125% of median newer / premium	$214,670	-$361/mo	4.3%	-8.8%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$171,736

Down Payment (20%)$34,347

Loan Amount$137,389

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,175

Monthly P&I-$900

Est. Expenses (35%)-$411

Net Cash Flow-$136/mo

5.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-4.1%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.21%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

74/100

Cash Flow(30%)

82/100

Based on 8.21% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

72/100

Based on 2.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

93/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up
+Institutional or out-of-state investors who target appreciation markets

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

County

Verdict

CurrentMarionWV

$171,736

$1,175

8.21%

Buy

OhioWV

$154,458

$971

7.55%

Buy

View

TaylorWV

$185,741

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

NicholasWV

$158,409

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

KanawhaWV

$149,776

$1,081

8.66%

Buy

View

CabellWV

$166,212

$957

6.91%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-136/mo

Cap Rate

5.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-4.1%