Morgantown, WV Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Morgantown, WV: What You Need to Know

Morgantown is a city along Monongahela River in northern West Virginia. It’s home to West Virginia University, the state’s largest institution of higher learning.

Schools and Education

Residents and visitors alike love the beautiful Morgantown campus of West Virginia University (WVU), with 245 buildings on 1,892 acres. The university, founded in 1867, 

has 26,684 students. It offers 141 undergraduate majors and 245 graduate and professional programs. Morgantown’s 16 public schools (10,914 students) boast an average math proficiency score of 51% versus the 37% West Virginia average and a reading proficiency score of 55% versus the 45% state average.

Transportation

The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is a great alternative to driving. PRT, a driverless car powered by an electric motor, connects the different WVU campuses and the downtown area. Students ride for free, while nonstudents pay just 50 cents. Boeing developed the PRT system, introduced in 1975. The system has 69 cars built on a Dodge truck chassis. Morgantown Municipal Airport provides access to about 1,000 connecting flights to domestic and international destinations. It also offers daily flights to Baltimore-Washington International in Maryland and Pittsburgh International Airport in Pennsylvania. 

Cost of Living

Morgantown, the seat of Monongalia County, is home to 30,549 people. It’s a budget-friendly college town with a cost of living rate, food, and housing costs that are 6.1%, 43.4%, and 44.5% lower than the national average respectively. The median gross rent is $851. West Virginians pay 3% to 6.5% in income tax and 6% in statewide sales tax. 

Know Your Neighborhoods

From mountains to rivers and lakes, Morgantown has an abundance of natural assets. Residents love the rolling hills surrounding them, the many hiking trails, and the quaint covered bridges. Morgantown is close to the Pennsylvania border, making a day trip to Pittsburgh easy. The majority of city residents (57%) are renters. Morgantown has some of the highest-ranked public schools, but those who want some distance from the activities at WVU will find comparable schools in Star City and Cheat Lake.

Weather and Climate

Morgantown’s location on the banks of the Monongahela River makes it vulnerable to flooding. Multiple storms between Oct. 31, 1985, and Nov. 6, 1985, brought disastrous flooding to Monongalia County and other parts of the state. The flood caused 38 deaths and damages worth about $700 million, which affected more than 13,000 homes and businesses. It was West Virginia’s costliest flood. The river, which runs from Pennsylvania through West Virginia, reached up to 40 feet in some areas.