Cost to Own
United StatesWest VirginiaMcDowell CountyWelch Population 3,492 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Welch, West Virginia

A $57,000 home here costs

$620

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $293. The real number is $327 higher every month — 112% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Welch median: $56,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $45,600 borrowed $293
Property tax0.650% effective rate for Welch itself $31
Homeowners insuranceWest Virginia averages $1,016/yr (NAIC), or 0.632% of home value $30
Electricity16.8¢/kWh — West Virginia residential average, EIA $151
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $48
Total monthly $620

Welch against McDowell County and West Virginia

MeasureWelchMcDowell County
Median home value$56,500$49,200
Median property tax$367$278
Effective tax rate0.650%0.565%
Median gross rent$686
Population3,49218,413

The weather behind that power bill

Welch sits in McDowell County, which averages a high of 78.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.8°F in its coldest, with 41.24" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 536 cooling and 5,219 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for McDowell County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in McDowell County

No other places of this size are published in McDowell County.

Full McDowell County cost breakdown · Every county in West Virginia

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Welch?

A $57,000 home in Welch, West Virginia costs approximately $620 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $293 principal and interest, $31 property tax, $30 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $48 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Welch?

Welch has an effective property tax rate of 0.650%, based on a median home value of $56,500 and median real estate taxes of $367. That is higher than the McDowell County average of 0.565%.

What is the average home price in Welch?

The median owner-occupied home value in Welch, West Virginia is $56,500, against $49,200 across McDowell County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Welch?

Rent data is not published for Welch at this level of detail.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Welch — 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.

Full methodology