Side-by-side comparison of Parkersburg, WV and Wheeling, WV — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Wheeling has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 6.02% compared to Parkersburg's 4.81%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $165,000 in Parkersburg vs $135,000 in Wheeling, while rents come in at $920/mo and $900/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Parkersburg is growing faster at -0.4% annually, while Wheeling is losing population. Parkersburg leads on home value appreciation at 1.4% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.58% in Parkersburg vs 0.58% in Wheeling. Vacancy rates of 7.5% and 7.5% are both elevated, warranting conservative cash flow projections.
Entry point: Wheeling offers a lower entry at $135K vs Parkersburg's $165K — a difference of $30K. With a 20% down payment, that's $27K vs $33K. Wheeling combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Wheeling edges out Parkersburg on most key metrics. With a 6.02% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Parkersburg or Wheeling.