Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.12×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs West Virginia
- 2.54×-0.42
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-1.31
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
20.4%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs West Virginia
- 21.1%-0.7
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-2.9
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
solid
Cap rate proxy
6.25%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs West Virginia
- 5.52%+0.73
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+1.90
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
shrinking
Net migration
-0.05%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs West Virginia
- 0.03%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
tight
Permit pipeline
0.20
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs West Virginia
- 0.43
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
softening
Unemployment
5.0%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs West Virginia
- 4.4%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+53.0%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+10.6%
Median home value
$121,400
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $757 | $9,084 | 15.9% |
| 2 BR | $973 | $11,676 | 20.4% |
| 3 BR | $1,285 | $15,420 | 27.0% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
5.0%
Median household income
$57,149
What's being built
Total TTM
23
+148.1% YoY
Single-family
23
2–4 unit
0
5+ unit
0
All 3 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 65,280 | $120,600 | $56,983 | 3 | +50.0% |
| Hancock County | 28,907 | $119,600 | $61,017 | 19 | +171.4% |
| Brooke County | 22,349 | $127,700 | $52,116 | 1 | — |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Weirton | 116,536 | $57,149 | 2.12× | 6.25% | +53.0% | 0.20 | 5.0% |
| Goldsboro, NC | 117,480 | $58,082 | — | — | +64.0% | — | 3.5% |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 116,162 | $55,826 | — | — | +53.4% | — | 2.5% |
| Muncie, IN | 112,156 | $56,932 | — | — | +60.4% | — | 3.0% |
| Mansfield, OH | 125,008 | $57,649 | — | — | +63.6% | — | 4.8% |
| Altoona, PA | 122,640 | $60,594 | — | — | +42.1% | — | 3.7% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
-59
-0.05% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Hancock County, WV | 235 |
| Brooke County, WV | 207 |
| Allegheny County, PA | 161 |
| Jefferson County, OH | 138 |
| Belmont County, OH | 121 |
| Columbiana County, OH | 94 |
Who lives in Weirton
- Median age
- 46
- Bachelor's+
- 20.7%
- Owner-occupancy
- 72.8%
- Vacancy rate
- 11.7%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 38.9%
- Median household income
- $57,149
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.