Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Star City, West Virginia
A $257,000 home here costs
$2,088per 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 $89,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,401. The real number is $687 higher every month, 49% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Monongalia County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Star City from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,894 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 Monongalia 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.
Star City against Monongalia County and West Virginia
| Measure | Star City | Monongalia County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $256,800 | $254,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,223 | $1,232 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.476% | 0.485% |
| Median gross rent | $989 | $943 |
| Population | 1,894 | 106,520 |
The weather behind that power bill
Star City sits in Monongalia County, which averages a high of 84.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.0°F in its coldest, with 43.15" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 930 cooling and 4,964 heating degree days, which is what sets the $168 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Monongalia County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Monongalia County
Full Monongalia County cost breakdown · Every county in West Virginia
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Star City 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 Star City every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Star City I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Star City?
A $257,000 home in Star City, West Virginia costs approximately $2,088 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,401 principal and interest, $102 property tax, $135 homeowners insurance, $236 utilities and $214 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Star City?
Star City has an effective property tax rate of 0.476%, based on a median home value of $256,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,223. That is in line with the Monongalia County average of 0.485%.
What is the average home price in Star City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Star City, West Virginia is $256,800, against $254,200 across Monongalia County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Star City?
Median gross rent in Star City is $989 a month, against $2,088 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 Star City?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Star City, West Virginia at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $89,500 a year. That covers the full $2,088 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Star City, 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.