The median home price in Wheeling is $130,000, with a local 30-year mortgage rate of 6.95%. A buyer putting 20% down carries a loan of $104,000, generating a monthly P&I payment of $688. Adding property taxes ($65/mo) and homeowners insurance ($54/mo) brings total monthly PITI to $808.
Wheeling's property tax rate of 0.6% is among the lower rates in the country, which improves overall affordability by keeping total PITI closer to the principal and interest payment alone. On the Wheeling median home, that is $65/month, or $780 per year.
West Virginia levies a state income tax, which affects take-home pay and effective buying power. High-income earners in Wheeling should factor state tax liability into their overall housing budget — mortgage interest may be deductible on both federal and state returns.