Evaluated, not offering now

Morgantown, West Virginia rental market: our review

Morgantown is a university and medical-center town with a high gross yield and single-family rents rising faster than the national rate. Lineage is not offering properties here now because rental vacancy runs well above national, the university expects fewer students, and the local property management bench is built for student housing rather than single-family rentals.

Reviewed by Patrick Roach

Morgantown is a metro of 141,995 people covering Monongalia and Preston counties, and West Virginia University sets its pace. State government, mostly the university, and the WVU Medicine hospital campus together account for about 32,000 jobs. The rental math starts strong. The typical single-family property is valued at $225,625 and rents for $1,772 a month, a 9.43% gross yield against 7.39% nationally, and single-family rents rose 4.43% in the year to September 2026. The soft side is demand. Population is flat, the university budgeted 4.8% fewer students for fall 2026, and rental vacancy is 8.17%.

What’s changing in Morgantown, WV

Dated announcements that bring jobs. Announced means planned, and operating means people work there now.

  1. Under constructionNovember 11, 2025

    WVU Medicine builds a new Eye Institute

    $233 million, opening expected summer 2027

    What it means for rentersConstruction trades are on site now, and the larger institute is meant to recruit more doctors and train more residents. Residents and new clinical staff typically rent near the hospital.

    Source: WVU Medicine
  2. AnnouncedJuly 14, 2026

    WVU leads a $321 million energy innovation hub

    $321 million: up to $160 million from the National Science Foundation over a decade and $161 million from partners. The consortium projects 21,000 jobs and 150 startups.

    What it means for rentersThe hub will be based at the WVU Innovation Corporation in Morgantown. The job count is the consortium's projection, and early hires will be researchers and engineers who rent before they buy.

    Source: WVU Today
  3. AnnouncedJune 2026

    WVU budgets for fewer students in fall 2026

    22,409 Morgantown students budgeted, down 4.8% from 23,532

    What it means for rentersFewer students means less demand for the apartments and shared houses near campus, which can push landlords there to cut rents and pull some tenants away from single-family rentals.

    Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail
Show all 5 announcements
  1. OperatingMay 2026

    WVU Innovation Corporation grows its campus

    About 560 people on site, projected to reach about 750 by the end of 2026 and about 1,000 by the end of 2027

    What it means for rentersResearch staff and startup employees are often early-career and rent before they buy. These are projections from the campus, not hiring already done.

    Source: Dominion Post
  2. AnnouncedMay 2026

    FirstEnergy proposes a gas power plant at Fort Martin

    About $2.476 billion through 2033, 1,200 megawatts. Pending state approval as of May 2026, construction as early as 2027

    What it means for rentersA plant this size would bring a large construction workforce to Monongalia County for several years, and those crews rent. It is still a proposal.

    Source: Dominion Post
Who rents here

The institutions that fill rentals in Morgantown, WV

  • University23,532 Morgantown students in fall 2025. 22,409 budgeted for fall 2026

    West Virginia University

    The budget projects a 4.8% enrollment drop and 6.8% fewer first-year students. In October 2025, 507 WVU Research Corporation staff moved onto the university payroll in the same jobs.

    Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail
  • Hospital$233 million Eye Institute under construction, opening expected summer 2027

    WVU Medicine, J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital campus

    The region's academic medical center. Education and health jobs, led by the hospital campus, number about 20,400 in the metro.

    Source: WVU Medicine
  • EmployerAbout 560 people on site, projected to reach about 750 by the end of 2026

    WVU Innovation Corporation

    A research and business campus in the former Mylan plant, hosting university labs and startups.

    Source: Dominion Post
  • GovernmentAbout 185 NIOSH Morgantown researchers received layoff notices in April 2025

    National Energy Technology Laboratory and NIOSH

    Two federal research labs in Morgantown. NETL's campus houses the Department of Energy's coal center of excellence.

    Source: Sen. Capito
By the numbers

Morgantown, WV against the national figure

The seven measures Lineage checks in every market, each beside the national figure for the same period.

  • Rent to price (gross yield)

    above national
    Morgantown, WV
    9.43%
    National
    7.39%

    On a $1,772 typical single-family rent and a $225,625 typical value, rents are high relative to prices, the strongest number in this market.

    Zillow ZORI and ZHVI, single-family · September 2026

  • Rent growth

    above national
    Morgantown, WV
    +4.43%
    National
    +3.13%

    After 4.88% the year before, two straight years above 4% show steady demand for single-family rentals near the university and hospital.

    Zillow ZORI, single-family · September 2026

  • Jobs and population

    near national
    Morgantown, WV
    Jobs +0.41%, population +0.05%
    National
    Jobs +0.32%, population +0.5%

    Jobs grow at about the national pace, but the population is not growing.

    BLS Current Employment Statistics (jobs, September 2026), Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates (population, July 2025) · September 2026

  • Vacancy and new supply

    above national
    Morgantown, WV
    8.17%
    National
    5.54%

    Vacancy is 9.01% inside the City of Morgantown and 433 apartment and townhome units were approved near campus from 2024 to February 2026, and much of the gap is the student lease calendar, which leaves units empty between school years.

    Census ACS 2020 to 2024 five-year estimates, Monongalia County Planning Commission · ACS 2020 to 2024, approvals through February 2026

  • Landlord law

    favorable
    Morgantown, WV
    No pre-filing notice, no deposit cap
    National
    Varies by state

    State law is fast for owners, with immediate possession if the tenant does not respond, and the City of Morgantown adds a registration and inspection step.

    W. Va. Code 55-3A-3 and 37-6A, City of Morgantown · November 2026

  • Insurance

    favorable
    Morgantown, WV
    $1,800 to $2,600 a year
    National
    $3,057 a year

    Premiums run about 72% of the national average, on a West Virginia trend of about 3.4% a year against about 6.8% nationally (Lineage blend of Insurify readings).

    Lineage market research, Insurify 2025 and 2026 readings · October 2026

  • Property management depth

    unfavorable
    Morgantown, WV
    Thin, mostly student rentals
    National
    No national benchmark

    Few managers are set up for single-family rentals owned by out-of-state investors.

    Lineage market research · October 2026

Why Lineage is not offering properties in Morgantown now

The yield and rent growth are strong, and at the typical $1,772 rent, properties at the lower end of our $150,000 to $350,000 range can cover the loan payment with room to spare. The problem is keeping them rented. Rental vacancy is 8.17% across the metro and 9.01% in the city, against 5.54% nationally, and much of the housing near campus turns over on the school calendar. The university budgeted 4.8% fewer students for fall 2026, and the population is flat. Our model also depends on an established manager vetting the tenant and handling the property, and the local bench is thin and built mostly around student leases.

Markets we offer that fit a similar investor

Owning here

Law, taxes, and insurance

Landlord law in West Virginia

West Virginia requires no notice before an owner files for unpaid rent. The court sets a hearing 5 to 10 judicial days after filing, grants continuances only for cause, and orders possession right away if the tenant files no response. State law sets no cap on security deposits. The owner must return the deposit, with an itemized list of deductions, within 60 days after the tenancy ends or 45 days after a new tenant moves in, whichever comes first. The City of Morgantown registers rental properties and inspects them every three years.

Taxes and insurance

West Virginia assesses property at 60% of value and taxes a rental at double the owner-occupied rate. Inside the City of Morgantown, a rental property pays about 1.583% of its value a year, about $3,572 on the $225,625 typical value, slightly above the national 1.504%. That rate includes the county EMS levy, which voters renewed on November 3, 2026. Cheat Lake pays 1.283% and rural Preston County 0.925%. Lineage's research found premiums of $1,800 to $2,600 a year.

Risks

What could go wrong

  • One dominant anchor

    The university and its health system set the pace for the whole metro, and the university has budgeted for 4.8% fewer students this fall.

  • Vacancy on the student calendar

    Rental vacancy is 8.17%, and units near campus can sit empty between academic-year leases. Single-family owners compete with that stock at the margins.

  • Federal research cuts

    About 185 NIOSH researchers in Morgantown received layoff notices in April 2025, and NETL laid off 51 probationary staff in February 2025, 41 of whom later returned.

  • Flood and mine subsidence

    Low ground along the Monongahela River, Deckers Creek, and the Cheat River carries flood risk, and both counties sit over coal seams. West Virginia fire policies include mine subsidence coverage unless the owner waives it.

FAQ

Questions investors ask

Is Morgantown, WV a good place to buy rental property?

Morgantown has a 9.43% gross yield against 7.39% nationally and single-family rents that rose 4.43% over the past year, with low insurance costs and fast eviction rules. The drawbacks are rental vacancy of 8.17%, a flat population, a university expecting fewer students, and a thin property management bench outside student housing. Lineage is not offering properties here now for those reasons.

What is the average rent in Morgantown, WV?

The typical single-family rent in the Morgantown metro was $1,772 a month in September 2026, according to Zillow, up 4.43% from a year earlier. Average rents across all rental types, including apartments, run lower, about $1,315 to $1,413 in the city and nearby ZIP codes.

Is West Virginia landlord friendly?

Yes. West Virginia requires no notice before an owner files for unpaid rent, and if the tenant does not respond, the court orders possession right away. There is no cap on security deposits. The owner must return the deposit with an itemized list within 60 days after the tenancy ends, or 45 days after a new tenant moves in if that comes first. Morgantown registers and inspects rentals.

How much are property taxes on a Morgantown rental property?

West Virginia taxes rental property at double the owner-occupied rate. Inside the City of Morgantown, a rental pays about 1.583% of its value a year, slightly above the national 1.504%. Cheat Lake, which is unincorporated, pays 1.283%, and rural Preston County 0.925%. The city rate includes the county EMS levy that voters renewed in November 2026.

Sources and method

Reviewed October 2026 by Patrick Roach. Every market figure is paired with a national figure for the same period. Figures were current at review and will change. This page is research, not investment advice.

Keep reading

Show all 22 sources
  1. Zillow Research, ZORI single-family rent index and ZHVI single-family values, September 2026 Accessed 2026-11-13
  2. BLS, Morgantown nonfarm employment Accessed 2026-11-13
  3. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 metro population estimates Accessed 2026-11-13
  4. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024 five-year estimates Accessed 2026-11-13
  5. Monongalia County Planning Commission, approved minutes Accessed 2026-11-13
  6. Charleston Gazette-Mail, WVU budget and enrollment Accessed 2026-11-13
  7. Dominion Post, WVU Research Corporation employees move to university payroll, September 8, 2025 Accessed 2026-11-13
  8. WVU Medicine, Eye Institute construction milestone, November 11, 2025 Accessed 2026-11-13
  9. Dominion Post, 2026 Progress edition Accessed 2026-11-13
  10. Sen. Capito, NIOSH and NETL job cuts, April 2025 Accessed 2026-11-13
  11. NETL, Centers of Excellence Accessed 2026-11-13
  12. West Virginia State Auditor, levy rates by county Accessed 2026-11-13
  13. WV MetroNews, Monongalia County EMS levy on the ballot Accessed 2026-11-13
  14. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 50-State Property Tax Comparison Study, 2025 Accessed 2026-11-13
  15. Insurify, 2026 home insurance price projections Accessed 2026-11-13
  16. W. Va. Code 55-3A-1, summary eviction petition and hearing Accessed 2026-11-13
  17. W. Va. Code 55-3A-3, summary eviction judgment Accessed 2026-11-13
  18. W. Va. Code 37-6A, security deposits Accessed 2026-11-13
  19. City of Morgantown, rental information Accessed 2026-11-13
  20. FEMA, National Risk Index Accessed 2026-11-13
  21. WVU Today, RETI Regional Innovation Engine award, July 14, 2026 Accessed 2026-11-13
  22. WAJR, Mon EMS excess levy renewal passes, November 4, 2026 Accessed 2026-11-13
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