This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Benwood page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 1,173, so Benwood should be compared with similar-size places before using broader West Virginia averages. Median household income is $39,474, so the best affordability read for Benwood is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $90,400, so ownership costs in Benwood should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $681/mo, so renters can compare Benwood against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Benwood, income is more constrained, so utilities, rent, and taxes deserve extra attention. Home values are comparatively low, but maintenance, taxes, and utilities still matter.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Benwood looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with McMechen, WV.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.164/kWh, so Benwood households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Benwood is a West Virginia state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Benwood, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $408, so Benwood buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Benwood address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Benwood depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Benwood, especially when comparing with McMechen, WV.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 47.1, so Benwood may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 9.1%, so Benwood education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 4.4%, so Benwood wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
