Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Alum Creek, West Virginia
A $159,000 home here costs
$1,365per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $58,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $867. The real number is $498 higher every month, 57% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Kanawha County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Alum Creek from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,472 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Kanawha County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Alum Creek against Kanawha County and West Virginia
| Measure | Alum Creek | Kanawha County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $158,900 | $135,000 |
| Median property tax | $558 | $922 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.351% | 0.683% |
| Median gross rent | $1,298 | $879 |
| Population | 1,472 | 178,198 |
Alum Creek extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Kanawha County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Alum Creek sits in Kanawha County, which averages a high of 86.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.1°F in its coldest, with 46.24" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,162 cooling and 4,353 heating degree days, which is what sets the $168 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Kanawha County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Kanawha County
Full Kanawha County cost breakdown · Every county in West Virginia
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Alum Creek averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Alum Creek every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Alum Creek I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Alum Creek?
A $159,000 home in Alum Creek, West Virginia costs approximately $1,365 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $867 principal and interest, $47 property tax, $84 homeowners insurance, $236 utilities and $133 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Alum Creek?
Alum Creek has an effective property tax rate of 0.351%, based on a median home value of $158,900 and median real estate taxes of $558. That is lower than the Kanawha County average of 0.683%.
What is the average home price in Alum Creek?
The median owner-occupied home value in Alum Creek, West Virginia is $158,900, against $135,000 across Kanawha County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Alum Creek?
Median gross rent in Alum Creek is $1,298 a month, against $1,365 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Alum Creek?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Alum Creek, West Virginia at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $58,500 a year. That covers the full $1,365 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Alum Creek, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for West Virginia.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.