What it costs to live and work in West Virginia: the minimum wage, state income tax, sales tax and median rent, from official sources, and what they mean for your monthly budget.
| West Virginia | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $8.75 an hour | US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws |
| State income tax | 2.11 % to 4.58 % | West Virginia Tax Division: Personal Income Tax Reduction Bill (SB 392) |
| State sales tax | 6 % | Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) |
| Median gross rent | $883 a month (2024) | US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state |
West Virginia's minimum wage is $8.75 an hour for employers with 6 or more employees at one location.
SB 392 (2026) cut rates 5 %, retroactive to January 1, 2026: five rates from 2.11 % to 4.58 %, the top rate on taxable income over $60,000.
The state sales tax is 6 %; some cities add 1 % (average local rate 0.59 %).
What income does rent in West Virginia take?
A common rule of thumb is to keep rent at or below 30 % of gross income. At the median rent of $883 a month, that means a household income of about $35,300 a year before tax.
Good to know
- Some West Virginia jurisdictions levy payroll or flat-rate wage taxes (Tax Foundation).
Sources
- US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (2026-07-01)
- Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026-02-19)
- Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) (2026-07-06)
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state (2024)
- West Virginia Tax Division: Personal Income Tax Reduction Bill (SB 392) (2026-03-31)