In 2002, West Virginia had an estimated 852,165 housing units, 719,655 of which were occupied; 74.1% were owner-occupied. About 70% of all units were single-family, detached homes; 16.9% were mobile homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 29,823 units lacked telephone service, 4,310 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 3,175 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.44 people.
In 2002, 4,890 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $81,695, one of the lowest in the country. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $762. Renters paid a median of $448 per month. During 2002, West Virginia received over $45 million in community planning and development aid from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.