Section 8 Fair Market Rent (FMR) for ZIP 25143 - 2027

Location: Putnam County, WV | Metro: Charleston, WV HUD Metro FMR Area

Investment Score for ZIP 25143

Monthly Rent (2BR)

$1,070

Median Price (2BR)

$111,372

1% Rule

0.96%

Annual Yield

11.53%

Based on 1% Rule: A+ (≥1.5%) | A (≥1.2%) | B (≥1.0%) | C (≥0.8%) | D (≥0.6%) | F (<0.6%)

FY 2027 Fair Market Rent Rates

Unit Size	Monthly FMR
Studio	$760
1 Bedroom	$840
2 Bedrooms	$1,070
3 Bedrooms	$1,380
4 Bedrooms	$1,430
5 Bedrooms	$1,659
6 Bedrooms	$1,858
7 Bedrooms	$2,007
8 Bedrooms	$2,107

Investment Analysis by Bedroom Size

Zillow median home prices vs Section 8 FMR rates (Data: 2026-07-31)

Bedrooms	Monthly FMR	Median Price	1% Rule	Grade
2BR	$1,070	$111,372	0.96%	C
3BR	$1,380	$160,174	0.86%	C
4BR	$1,430	$224,007	0.64%	D

Demographics & Housing Statistics

U.S. Census Bureau data (2024)

Population

8,714

Median Household Income

$53,205

Housing Units

4,438

Renter Percentage

24.6%

Occupancy Rate

81.9%

Renter Occupied

894

To determine if you should buy in ZIP 25143 (Nitro, WV) for Section 8 investment, follow this decision tree:

Step 1: Does the Fair Market Rent (FMR) of $1030 cover the debt service on a $143,170 property?

If you can secure a mortgage with a monthly payment lower than $1030, then the answer is Yes. For instance, a typical 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at a rate of 4.5% would result in a monthly payment of approximately $700, which is well below the FMR. This means that the rent collected would comfortably cover your debt service.

If your mortgage payment exceeds $1030, then the answer is No. The FMR does not provide sufficient income to cover the debt service, making the investment unprofitable without additional subsidies or rental income sources.

Step 2: Is the market rent of $907 above, at, or below the FMR?

The market rent of $907 is below the FMR of $1030. This suggests that there is potential to charge higher rents under Section 8, which could improve profitability. However, it also indicates that the local market may be less willing to pay higher rents, which could affect the desirability of the property to non-Section 8 tenants.

Step 3: Are 24.6% renters combined with an unknown number of days on the market (DOM) indicative of sufficient demand?

The percentage of renters at 24.6% is relatively low, indicating a primarily owner-occupied area. However, this can still support Section 8 properties if there is a strong presence of government assistance programs. The unknown DOM makes it difficult to assess the current demand accurately. If the DOM is typically low, it implies strong demand; conversely, a high DOM suggests weaker demand.

Decision Outcome:

Yes: If the FMR covers your debt service and you can leverage the difference between market rent and FMR to enhance profitability, while also assuming a reasonable DOM that supports demand.
No: If the FMR cannot cover your debt service or if the DOM is consistently high, indicating weak demand.
It Depends: If the FMR barely covers your debt service or if you need more information about the DOM to make a confident decision. In this scenario, further investigation into local housing trends and Section 8 participation rates would be advisable.

In summary, ZIP 25143 (Nitro, WV) offers a mixed outlook for Section 8 investments. The key factors are the ability to manage debt service within the FMR and understanding the local rental market dynamics beyond the basic statistics provided.

Data Sources: FMR data from HUD (2027). Median home prices from Zillow (2026-07-31). Demographics from U.S. Census (2024).

About FMR: Fair Market Rent (FMR) is used to determine payment standards for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, and rent ceilings for HOME Investment Partnerships.