Charleston, West Virginia: Low-Cost Section 8 Cash Flow
Charleston, in West Virginia's Kanawha County, earns a Strong grade for Section 8 in FY2026 — reliable cash flow with the right property. The median 3-bed voucher is about $1,395/mo, supporting roughly $140,000 on a 1% basis. Low entry prices plus some of the lightest carrying costs in our data make this an under-the-radar Mid-Atlantic cash-flow market.
The honest catch here is dispersion: the 3-bed voucher ranges from $1,230 to $1,840/mo across ZIPs, so the address you buy decides your spread more than the metro average does. Carrying costs are friendly — 0.55% property tax, 0.6% insurance — but you still have to pick the right ZIP. Screen Charleston listings free on CloseHound to find them.
Charleston HUD Section 8 voucher rents by ZIP (FY2026)
Official HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents — the voucher ceiling a landlord can collect in each ZIP, by bedroom count.
| ZIP code | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4-bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25302 | $1,010/mo | $1,290/mo | $1,340/mo |
| 25303 | $1,110/mo | $1,420/mo | $1,470/mo |
| 25304 | $1,160/mo | $1,480/mo | $1,540/mo |
| 25306 | $1,440/mo | $1,840/mo | $1,910/mo |
| 25309 | $950/mo | $1,230/mo | $1,260/mo |
| 25311 | $1,030/mo | $1,320/mo | $1,360/mo |
| 25312 | $1,010/mo | $1,370/mo | $1,580/mo |
| 25387 | $1,140/mo | $1,460/mo | $1,510/mo |
Source: HUD FY2026 SAFMR. CloseHound underwrites live listings against these exact ceilings.
Charleston Section 8 FAQ
What's the Section 8 voucher rent for a 3-bed in Charleston, WV?+
The median FY2026 3-bedroom voucher is about $1,395/mo, but it spans $1,230 to $1,840/mo across Charleston ZIPs. That wide range means ZIP selection drives your return.
Is Charleston, WV a good Section 8 market?+
Yes — we grade it Strong. Cheap entry, a ~$1,395/mo voucher, and low carrying costs (0.55% tax, 0.6% insurance) make it a quietly solid cash-flow market for the right property.
What's the property-tax and insurance drag in Charleston?+
Light by national standards: roughly 0.55% effective property tax and 0.6% insurance. That low carry is a big reason Charleston cash-flows despite modest voucher rents.
How do I find cash-flowing Section 8 deals in Charleston?+
Because vouchers swing from $1,230 to $1,840/mo by ZIP, screen each listing on CloseHound. It applies the exact ZIP voucher rent and scores cash-on-cash after Charleston's low tax and insurance.
Screen Charleston deals free
See which Charleston listings actually cash-flow on the voucher — underwritten and ranked by Deal Score.
Screen free →10 free screens · no card · all 50 states