West Virginia cost of living & income (2026)

Quick answer: West Virginia has a cost-of-living index of 87.9 (100 = national baseline), an illustrative estimated annual cost of living of about $43,950, median household income of $60,798, combined average sales tax about 6.41%, and regular gas about $3.930/gal in the June 2026 AAA snapshot used on the hub.

COL index87.9100 = US baseline

Est. annual COL$43,950

Median HH income$60,798

Sales tax (comb.)6.41%

Gas (87 octane)$3.930/galJune 2026 AAA

Largest cityCharleston (46,838)

Taxes & economy

Income tax: Graduated 2.11%–4.58% (2026)

Sales tax: 6% state (combined avg. ~6.41%)

Major industries: Energy (coal, natural gas), manufacturing, tourism/outdoors, agriculture, chemicals

Climate snapshot

Summer high ~84°F (July) · Winter low ~23°F (January)

Culture (context)

West Virginia State Museum / Harpers Ferry

West Virginia State Fair (Lewisburg)
Appalachian Festival / major cultural heritage events

Open the interactive 50-state map & table — sort, filter, and use the dual ranker on the full explorer.

What this means for you

What this means for you: a basket priced at 100 on the national baseline is indexed at 87.9 in West Virginia. A salary that buys that basket at the baseline would need about 87.9% of that salary to buy the same basket here. That is index math from this snapshot, not a tax-equalized offer and not your rent.

Compare a salary: West Virginia vs Texas on the explorer.

How to read this page

Read the quick answer for West Virginia's cost-of-living index, estimated annual cost, median income, sales tax, and gas price.
Open the 50-state explorer and compare West Virginia with another state. The salary line multiplies pay by the other index divided by this index.
Use the mortgage, rent, and paycheck calculators with your own numbers. This page does not compute a tax return.

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Related states

Similar cost-of-living index in this dataset:

Kansas — COL 87.6 (Δ 0.3 index pts)
Indiana — COL 88.3 (Δ 0.4 index pts)
Iowa — COL 88.6 (Δ 0.7 index pts)

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FAQ

What is West Virginia's cost of living index?

West Virginia's cost-of-living index is 87.9 (national baseline 100) in this 2026 classroom snapshot.

What is the estimated annual cost of living in West Virginia?

The explorer lists an illustrative estimated annual cost of living of about $43,950 for West Virginia.

What is median household income in West Virginia?

Median household income in West Virginia is $60,798 in this dataset.

What is the combined average sales tax rate in West Virginia?

The combined average sales tax rate shown for West Virginia is 6.41%. State and local rules vary; see the Tax Foundation citation on the hub.

Does West Virginia have a state income tax?

State income tax in West Virginia: Graduated 2.11%–4.58% (2026).

What was regular gas in West Virginia in this snapshot?

87-octane gas is listed at $3.930 per gallon (AAA, June 2026) in the explorer data.

How should a household read West Virginia's cost-of-living index?

The index is 87.9 against a US baseline of 100. A salary that buys a basket at the baseline would need about 87.9% of that salary to buy the same basket in West Virginia in this snapshot. It is not a tax bill, a rent quote, or financial advice.

Sources: Tax Foundation (sales tax), BEA / ACS (income & COL), AAA gas (June 20, 2026). State income-tax blurb: West Virginia State Tax Department — 2026 income tax rate cut. Educational, not financial, tax, or relocation advice. Income-tax blurb on this page was updated October 2026.