Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Morgantown?

Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Morgantown?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $31,000 in Morgantown.

Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Morgantown?

Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Morgantown under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax).

Henderson vs Morgantown Cost of Living 2026

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $950 in Morgantown, WV. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $42,245 in Morgantown, WV — about 52% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV

Morgantown, WV

Rent

Studio

$1,442

$836

+42% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,437

$770

+46% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,694

$969

+43% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,982

$1,038

+48% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$465,000

$238,200

+49% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$88,654

$42,245

+52% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$47,350

+1% in Morgantown, WV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.5 yr

24.0 yr

+18.5 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

65.6%

44.3%

+21.3 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.8%

58.1%

+21.3 pp in Morgantown, WV

Avg Commute

24.7 min

17.3 min

+7.4 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

271.8

216.3

+20% in Henderson, NV

Property Crime

1,725.7

1,976.4

+15% in Morgantown, WV

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

69.4°F

53.0°F

+16.4°F in Henderson, NV

Annual Precipitation

4.2 in

41.8 in

+37.6 in in Morgantown, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.94/gal

+24% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.1

15.4

+18% in Morgantown, WV

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.83

$24.68

+78% in Morgantown, WV

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Morgantown, WV

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Henderson, NV

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Henderson, NV

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / WV)

6.85%

+0.8 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.82%

+4.8 pp in WV

Henderson vs Morgantown — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Morgantown?: Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Morgantown?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $31,000 in Morgantown.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Morgantown?: Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Morgantown under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).