Yahoo News – Owning a home is an essential piece to the American dream and, since homeownership requires some pretty hefty savings to pull off, it’s also a solid barometer of an individual’s finance journey. But in the state with the nation’s highest homeownership rate, that dream comes with a surprising catch.
Read the full article.
According to USAFacts, 79.1% of households in West Virginia own their home. It’s also one of the most affordable states to buy a home, with a median sale value of $225,506, according to Rocket Mortgage. Seeing as the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports the national median home price for 2025’s Q2 is $410,800, West Virginia seems downright affordable by comparison. But all this comes at a cost: Part of the reason West Virginia’s homeownership rate is so far below the national homeownership average of 65.6% that USAFacts’ reports is that West Virginia is one of the worst places to live in the United States. Despite its strong showing in affordability and safety, the 2025 WalletHub Best States to Live In study labeled West Virginia as No. 42 out of 50. The low ranking showcases that, while West Virginia may lead the country in home affordability, its shortfall in quality of life may make it unsuitable for many.
