Get paid to move to West Virginia
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 4, 2026.
- 7Programs7 taking applications
- $12,000Biggest cash offerMorgantown Area
- 6 of 7Need a remote job1 have a local-job track
- Up to 4.58%Income tax on wagesWest Virginia, 2026
Every West Virginia program, biggest offer first
- Ascend West Virginia: Morgantown AreaMorgantown AreaOpen$12,000 cash
- Remote job
- Stay 24 months
- Ascend West Virginia: Greenbrier ValleyGreenbrier ValleyOpen$12,000 cash
- Remote job
- Stay 24 months
- Ascend West Virginia: Eastern PanhandleEastern PanhandleOpen$12,000 cash
- Remote job
- Stay 24 months
- Ascend West Virginia: Greater ElkinsGreater ElkinsOpen$12,000 cash
- Remote job
- Stay 24 months
- Ascend West Virginia: New River GorgeNew River GorgeOpen$12,000 cash
- Remote job
- Stay 24 months
- Ascend West Virginia: Charleston AreaCharleston AreaOpen$12,000 cash
- Remote job
- Stay 24 months
- Ascend Heroes (veterans)Any Ascend featured community (Morgantown Area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins, New River Gorge, Charleston Area); other WV locations case by caseOpen$12,000 cash
- Local job track
- Stay 24 months
West Virginia town guides
What West Virginia costs to live in
- Everyday prices, rent included: 89.5 against a US average of 100 (BEA regional price parities, 2024).
- Median listed home: $259,997 (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026).
- Median rent for a 2-bedroom: $909 a month, utilities included (Census ACS, 2025).
- State income tax on wages: graduated, up to 4.58% (West Virginia Tax Division, Personal Income Tax Reduction Bill (SB 392), 2026).
Full West Virginia cost of living. Cities we cover in full: Morgantown
Getting paid to move to West Virginia: questions people ask
Does West Virginia pay you to move there?
Yes, through local programs: 7 West Virginia towns and counties run programs that pay new residents, with cash offers up to $12,000 (Ascend West Virginia: Morgantown Area). 7 were taking applications when we checked on October 30, 2026.
Do I need a remote job to get paid to move to West Virginia?
6 of the 7 West Virginia programs require full-time remote work or self-employment with clients elsewhere. 1 has a track for people who take a local job. Each program page lists its exact rules.
Which West Virginia towns pay you to move?
Morgantown Area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins, New River Gorge, Charleston Area, Any Ascend featured community (Morgantown Area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins, New River Gorge, Charleston Area); other WV locations case by case. Each one has its own page with the amount, rules, status and the official link.
Is West Virginia cheap to live in?
West Virginia's regional price parity is 89.5 against a US average of 100 (BEA, 2024), so prices run 10.5% below average. The median listed home is $259,997 (Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026).
Other states that pay you to move
Remote job? See which of these towns fit you
The quiz boosts towns with an active program when you work remotely, then ranks them on what you care about.
Sources for this page
- Programs: each program's official page, news report or MakeMyMove listing, checked October 30, 2026 (linked on each program page)
- Price level: BEA via FRED WVRPPALL, 2024
- Median listed home: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
- Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities)
- Income tax: West Virginia Tax Division, Personal Income Tax Reduction Bill (SB 392), 2026
- © Realtor.com, Housing Inventory Core Metrics (median listing price and median listing price per square foot), retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis