Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Wellsburg, West Virginia
A $97,000 home here costs
$943per 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 $40,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $529. The real number is $414 higher every month, 78% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Brooke County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Wellsburg from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,364 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 Brooke 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.
Wellsburg against Brooke County and West Virginia
| Measure | Wellsburg | Brooke County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,200 | $127,700 |
| Median property tax | $556 | $690 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.572% | 0.540% |
| Median gross rent | $569 | $603 |
| Population | 2,364 | 22,053 |
The weather behind that power bill
Wellsburg sits in Brooke County, which averages a high of 82.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.3°F in its coldest, with 37.55" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 782 cooling and 5,419 heating degree days, which is what sets the $168 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Brooke County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Brooke County
Full Brooke County cost breakdown · Every county in West Virginia
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Wellsburg 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 Wellsburg every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Wellsburg I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Wellsburg?
A $97,000 home in Wellsburg, West Virginia costs approximately $943 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $529 principal and interest, $46 property tax, $51 homeowners insurance, $236 utilities and $81 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Wellsburg?
Wellsburg has an effective property tax rate of 0.572%, based on a median home value of $97,200 and median real estate taxes of $556. That is higher than the Brooke County average of 0.540%.
What is the average home price in Wellsburg?
The median owner-occupied home value in Wellsburg, West Virginia is $97,200, against $127,700 across Brooke County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wellsburg?
Median gross rent in Wellsburg is $569 a month, against $943 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 Wellsburg?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Wellsburg, West Virginia at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $40,500 a year. That covers the full $943 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Wellsburg, 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.