Section 8 in Charleston, WV, WV: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Charleston, WV metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.

2-bedroom FMR (FY2026)
$869
HUD
Active vouchers
3,714
81% utilized
Housing authorities
5
serving this metro
Voucher protection
Unknown

Fair Market Rent by bedroom count

HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.

BedroomsFMRPayment standard (90 to 110%)
Efficiency (studio)$669$602 to $736
1-bedroom$674$607 to $741
2-bedroom$869$782 to $956
3-bedroom$1,195$1,076 to $1,315
4-bedroom$1,458$1,312 to $1,604

Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Charleston covers up to $869 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $782 to $956.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers
3,714
Occupied
3,021
Utilization
81%

Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.

Housing authorities serving Charleston

5 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.

  • Charleston/Kanawha Housing Authority

    Charleston , WV · WV001 · 3,213 HCV units

    Status unknown
    3043486451
  • Housing Authority of Boone County

    Danville , WV · WV042 · 501 HCV units

    Status unknown
    3043693442
  • Housing Authority of the City of South Charleston

    South Charleston , WV · WV022

    Status unknown
    3047689315
  • Housing Authority of the City of Dunbar

    Dunbar , WV · WV024

    Status unknown
    3047688006
  • Housing Authority of the City of St. Albans

    Saint Albans , WV · WV021

    Status unknown
    3047275441

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Charleston, WV?

Source-of-income protection status for West Virginia is not yet in our database. Check with local legal aid or the state civil-rights office before assuming either way.

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Counties in the Charleston metro

County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Charleston?
In the Charleston, WV metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $869 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $782 to $956 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Charleston?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Charleston, WV metro, by bedroom size: studio $669, 1-bedroom $674, 2-bedroom $869, 3-bedroom $1,195, 4-bedroom $1,458. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Charleston?
Section 8 in Charleston is administered by Charleston/Kanawha Housing Authority, Housing Authority of Boone County, Housing Authority of the City of South Charleston and other local housing authorities. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.

Find Section 8 apartments in Charleston

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.

Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.