Beckley, WV vs Parkersburg, WV: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Parkersburg, WV is 1.5% less expensive than Beckley, WV (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Beckley works out to about $73,900 in Parkersburg, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 12.2% less in Parkersburg. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $1,063 a month in Parkersburg and $1,041 in Beckley, nearly the same (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $169,000 in Parkersburg and $150,000 in Beckley.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (2.0%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 12.2% lower in Parkersburg than in Beckley
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 88.4 | 87.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 52.2 | 45.9 |
| Utilities | 91.8 | 92.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Category | Beckley | Parkersburg | Parkersburg vs Beckley |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 88.4 | 87.1 | −1.5% |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 52.2 | 45.9 | −12.2% |
| Utilities | 91.8 | 92.9 | +1.2% |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.8 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,041 | $1,063 | +2.1% |
| Typical home value | $150,000 | $169,000 | +12.3% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Beckley | $75,000 | $73,900 | −1.5% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Beckley and Parkersburg has narrowed since 2008: 3.6 points then, 1.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 83.5 | 87.0 |
| 2009 | 78.3 | 86.3 |
| 2010 | 84.9 | 87.0 |
| 2011 | 84.1 | 88.5 |
| 2012 | 83.6 | 91.6 |
| 2013 | 87.3 | 91.7 |
| 2014 | 87.5 | 90.6 |
| 2015 | 87.5 | 92.7 |
| 2016 | 83.3 | 92.7 |
| 2017 | 84.7 | 91.2 |
| 2018 | 86.2 | 89.6 |
| 2019 | 86.3 | 88.0 |
| 2020 | 83.4 | 86.2 |
| 2021 | 89.3 | 89.7 |
| 2022 | 88.2 | 87.2 |
| 2023 | 89.5 | 88.0 |
| 2024 | 88.4 | 87.1 |
Goods
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.0 | 97.0 |
| 2009 | 91.7 | 94.9 |
| 2010 | 96.5 | 96.8 |
| 2011 | 94.7 | 96.5 |
| 2012 | 91.1 | 96.6 |
| 2013 | 92.9 | 96.8 |
| 2014 | 92.0 | 97.5 |
| 2015 | 91.7 | 96.2 |
| 2016 | 92.9 | 97.0 |
| 2017 | 91.9 | 96.6 |
| 2018 | 95.1 | 95.1 |
| 2019 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| 2020 | 95.0 | 95.0 |
| 2021 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| 2022 | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| 2023 | 95.3 | 95.3 |
| 2024 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 51.3 | 51.4 |
| 2009 | 39.7 | 53.8 |
| 2010 | 50.6 | 49.4 |
| 2011 | 48.2 | 49.6 |
| 2012 | 47.4 | 58.4 |
| 2013 | 54.1 | 61.3 |
| 2014 | 55.8 | 56.9 |
| 2015 | 55.7 | 64.4 |
| 2016 | 43.9 | 62.8 |
| 2017 | 49.9 | 59.1 |
| 2018 | 47.3 | 60.5 |
| 2019 | 52.0 | 54.1 |
| 2020 | 47.6 | 53.7 |
| 2021 | 55.6 | 52.3 |
| 2022 | 52.3 | 48.3 |
| 2023 | 58.8 | 50.2 |
| 2024 | 52.2 | 45.9 |
Utilities
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 66.5 | 76.6 |
| 2009 | 70.5 | 81.5 |
| 2010 | 74.6 | 82.8 |
| 2011 | 77.3 | 83.5 |
| 2012 | 83.5 | 85.4 |
| 2013 | 79.2 | 82.8 |
| 2014 | 80.1 | 82.5 |
| 2015 | 86.8 | 85.9 |
| 2016 | 92.1 | 87.8 |
| 2017 | 90.8 | 83.2 |
| 2018 | 85.0 | 85.5 |
| 2019 | 86.3 | 86.9 |
| 2020 | 87.2 | 87.6 |
| 2021 | 84.9 | 84.9 |
| 2022 | 85.4 | 84.7 |
| 2023 | 87.1 | 88.8 |
| 2024 | 91.8 | 92.9 |
Other services
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.7 | 98.7 |
| 2009 | 93.5 | 98.0 |
| 2010 | 95.4 | 99.3 |
| 2011 | 96.7 | 101.2 |
| 2012 | 97.9 | 101.5 |
| 2013 | 99.2 | 100.6 |
| 2014 | 99.5 | 100.6 |
| 2015 | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| 2016 | 97.2 | 102.1 |
| 2017 | 95.0 | 100.6 |
| 2018 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| 2019 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| 2020 | 95.6 | 95.6 |
| 2021 | 100.2 | 100.2 |
| 2022 | 100.9 | 100.9 |
| 2023 | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| 2024 | 99.8 | 99.8 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,063 in Parkersburg vs $1,041 in Beckley
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | – | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | – | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | – | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | – | – | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | – | – | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | – | – | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | – | – | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | – | $875 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | – | $865 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | – | $876 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | – | $891 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $873 | $919 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $893 | $916 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $941 | $918 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $904 | $959 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $977 | $962 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $999 | $1,003 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $973 | $975 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $984 | $988 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,004 | $1,017 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $999 | $1,054 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,041 | $1,063 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $169,000 in Parkersburg vs $150,000 in Beckley
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Beckley, WV
- Parkersburg, WV
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Beckley, WV | Parkersburg, WV | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $86K | $105K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $88K | $107K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $91K | $109K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $95K | $108K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $96K | $108K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $93K | $107K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $91K | $107K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $90K | $107K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $90K | $107K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $91K | $108K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $90K | $108K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $91K | $110K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $91K | $112K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $93K | $114K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $92K | $114K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $92K | $115K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $93K | $117K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $94K | $119K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $94K | $120K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $94K | $121K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $95K | $122K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $98K | $122K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $100K | $124K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $107K | $130K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $111K | $134K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $115K | $139K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $113K | $139K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $115K | $140K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $122K | $146K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $129K | $151K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $131K | $153K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $132K | $153K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $130K | $152K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $136K | $156K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $141K | $158K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $143K | $159K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $145K | $159K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $151K | $163K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $155K | $164K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $154K | $166K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $157K | $167K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $149K | $165K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $147K | $167K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $146K | $167K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $149K | $168K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $149K | $168K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $150K | $169K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.