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.
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.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment 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
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.
- Status unknown
Charleston/Kanawha Housing Authority
Charleston , WV · WV001 · 3,213 HCV units
3043486451 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of Boone County
Danville , WV · WV042 · 501 HCV units
3043693442 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of South Charleston
South Charleston , WV · WV022
3047689315 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Dunbar
Dunbar , WV · WV024
3047688006 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of St. Albans
Saint Albans , WV · WV021
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.
Other Section 8 markets in WV
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.