While Virginia has a reputation for being expensive, these places in Virginia are for lovers of budgeting bliss.
Sifting through data can be daunting. Fear not as we’ve taken care of the hard part. Using Saturday Night Science and Census data, we compared the median housing costs, average incomes, and the overall cost of iving in the 62 cities with more than 5,000 people.
Despite being inexpensive, many of these areas aren’t just places to live — they’re places to thrive. It’s only a short drive to basking in the sun at Virginia Beach or enjoying a Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab in Chesapeake Bay.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Virginia
What is the cheapest place to live in Virginia? The cheapest place to live in Virginia is Danville according to the most recent data on the cost of living,
Looking to live in a cute foothills town? Check out Big Stone Gap. Maybe the mountains aren’t for you? No worries, because Martinsville and Danville are ready for you.
Check out some more reading about Virginia and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Virginia For 2024
/10
Population: 42,507
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $41,484
Median Home Price: $137,067
Median Rent: $770
With a population of 42,507, Danville is the biggest city to make this list, proving you don’t have to move to a small town to live economically. With a median rent of $770 and a median income of $41,484, renting in Danville won’t take full advantage of the city’s affordability. However, because home prices are cheap at a median price of $137,067, Danville has the ninth lowest ratio of home price to income in the state. If you stick to free hobbies like strolling down Danville’s Riverwalk Trail, you’ll have even more money in your pocket at the end of every week.
Danville is located in the south-central part of Virginia, on the border of North Carolina.
More on Danville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Such a shame about Danville. I lived there in the 1960s, it wasn’t scary then at all.
The mills shut down, the town is slowly dying.
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Population: 5,266
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 82
Median Income: $35,959
Median Home Price: $100,563
Median Rent: $824
Richlands, nestled in the heart of Tazewell County as part of the Bluefield WV-VA area, boasts the second spot for affordability in Virginia. With a $100,563 median home value that anchors an impressively low 82 overall cost of living index.
The best things to do the area include visiting Lincolnshire Park, Douthat State Park, Museum of the Middle Appalachians, Historic Crab Orchard Museum, Back of the Dragon, Big Cedar Creek Falls, The Channels Natural Area Preserve, and Vincent’s Vineyard.
More on Richlands: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 13,539
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 83
Median Income: $39,127
Median Home Price: $117,492
Median Rent: $736
Located about 50 miles south of Roanoke, Martinsville ranks as the third most affordable place in Virginia. With a median income of $39,127 and a median rent of $736, Martinsville is the least economical place to rent on this list, which is why it isn’t featured higher up. On the other hand, the median home price in Martinsville is $117,492, which makes the city the seventh most affordable place to buy a home in Virginia.
Living in Martinsville, you won’t feel like you’re in one of the most expensive states in the country.
More on Martinsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Born and raised in martinsville, hated it nothing to do and very dangerous, but after I left for the service never thought I miss that h**l hole like I did
Watch out for rednecks there everywhere
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Population: 5,722
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 83
Median Income: $45,737
Median Home Price: $129,579
Median Rent: $718
Located in Alleghany County, Covington is the fourth cheapest city in Virginia.
While it’s impressive that you can rent a place in Covington for under $600/month, that’s not what lands Covington so high on this list. It’s because Covington has the #6.0 cheapest homes in Virginia, at a median price of $129,579. And it’s not like homes are cheap because the residents aren’t paid well — with a median income of $45,737, Covington residents enjoy the sixth best ratio of home price to income in the state. Living in Covington, you’ll notice your savings growing as fast as the waters of the local Falling Springs Waterfall.
More on Covington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 8,982
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 85
Median Income: $55,213
Median Home Price: $145,235
Median Rent: $756
If you’re looking for the fifth most affordable place to live in Virginia, look no further than Pulaski, a town about an hour southwest of Roanoke.
Housing in Pulaski is super cheap when taken as a proportion of income, whether you’re renting or buying. The median home price in Pulaski is $145,235 and the median rent is $756. With Pulaski residents earning a median income of $55,213, the mortgage or rent payments are a barely noticeable dent in the budget. If you move to Pulaski, you won’t know what people are talking about when they say that Virginia is one of the most expensive states in America.
More on Pulaski: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 7,942
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 85
Median Income: $49,654
Median Home Price: $128,262
Median Rent: $703
Located in the south-central part of Virginia, South Boston is the sixth most affordable place in the state. At $128,262, the town’s median home price is super affordable on a salary of $49,654, the median income in South Boston. In fact, it’s the third most affordable place to buy a home in Virginia. The median rent in South Boston is $703, so it’s also quite economical to be a renter here.
More on South Boston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 5,722
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 85
Median Income: $37,337
Median Home Price: $144,743
Median Rent: $683
Marion takes the title of seventh cheapest place in Virginia with the lowest rent prices you’ll see on this list. With a median rent of $683, Marion residents pay less than a third what most Virginians pay for rent. Residents of Marion earn a median income of $37,337 and pay a median price of $144,743 for homes, giving the town a solid home price to income ratio. As a bonus, living in Marion puts you minutes away from the breathtaking Hungry Mother State Park. You can’t put a price on that!
Marion is the county seat of Smyth County in the southwestern part of Virginia.
More on Marion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Marion is a very scenic, friendly and unique mountain town conveniently located on I81 in SWVA. It is one of the larger towns in the general southwest portion of the state of Virginia.
Hungry Mother State Park is recognized as one of the best state parks not only in Virginia but in the entire United States, and is a must see. It is a perfect spot for a fun and inexpensive family vacation, yet just as easily can accommodate any solo road trippers or couples. Downtown Marion offers a nice variety of stores and restaurants. This is a great place to be any time of year, but summer is a wonderful season to spend some of your time hanging out in this cool town.
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Population: 6,687
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 86
Median Income: $44,612
Median Home Price: $162,413
Median Rent: $660
Another southwestern VA city, Galax is the eighth cheapest place to call home in Virginia. The median rent in Galax is $660, the second lowest on this list. Homes in Galax go for a median price of $162,413 and residents earn a median income of $44,612, so it’s quite affordable whether you’re renting or buying here. And if you fancy fiddling or picking at the banjo, definitely check out the Blue Ridge Music Center.
More on Galax: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 6,639
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 87
Median Income: $48,783
Median Home Price: $166,310
Median Rent: $953
Buena Vista, situated in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, boasts an impressive ninth place rank in affordability, with a median home value at $166,310 and a favorable home price to income ratio.
If you’re looking for cheap things to do around Buena Vista consider visiting Stonewall Jackson House, Virginia Safari Park, and exploring the Barbara Whipple Trail.
More on Buena Vista: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 99,213
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 88
Median Income: $51,523
Median Home Price: $247,891
Median Rent: $917
Roanoke, Virginia, is one of the most affordable places to live in the state, with a low cost of living and reasonable housing prices. The median home value in Roanoke is $247,891, making it easy for residents to find affordable housing options. Additionally, the median rent is only $917, meaning that renters can also enjoy affordable living in the city.
Roanoke is widely recognized as the arts and cultural hub of Southwest Virginia. The city is home to numerous museums, including the Taubman Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Transportation, and hosts various festivals throughout the year, like the Henry Street Heritage Festival, showcasing its vibrant arts scene and diverse ethnicities.
More on Roanoke: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Roanoke is not the best city but Roanoke is history, it’s a place to call home. Every where you go will have it’s trouble, Roanoke is relaxing, laid back and fun homelessness is a big issue here but what is the city doing yo help also- Doesn’t make them bad people I come across them all the time and never once has anything bad happened. ROANOKE IS A PLACE TO CALL HOME..
The Roanoke City Star, the history, science and all of the art around the city.
Cheapest places to live in Virginia FAQs
The county in Virginia with the lowest cost of living is Clarke County. The average living wage in Clarke County is $100,569 according to MIT data. Clarke County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Virginia as a whole. Childcare costs $15,996 a year in Clarke County for two children compared to the Virginia average of $19,363. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $21,180 per year in Clarke County compared to $15,304 on average in Virginia.
The cost of living in Virginia is 8.9% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Virginia is $97,710 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Virginia household is $76,398.
The cheapest housing market in Virginia is Covington. The average home value in Covington is $70,400, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Virginia is $282,800, almost 4.0 times higher than Covington.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Old Dominion for 2024
Determining affordability for places in Virginia boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Virginia using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Virginia to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 62 places in Virginia that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Virginia with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Danville.
We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Virginia.
Virginia Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Virginia for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Virginia.
The cheapest cities in Virginia are Danville, Richlands, Martinsville, Covington, Pulaski, South Boston, Marion, Galax, Buena Vista, and Roanoke.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Virginia according to the data:
- Falls Church
- Vienna
- Alexandria
For more Virginia reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In Virginia
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danville | 42,507 | 79 | $41,484 | $137,067 | $770 |
| 2 | Richlands | 5,266 | 82 | $35,959 | $100,563 | $824 |
| 3 | Martinsville | 13,539 | 83 | $39,127 | $117,492 | $736 |
| 4 | Covington | 5,722 | 83 | $45,737 | $129,579 | $718 |
| 5 | Pulaski | 8,982 | 85 | $55,213 | $145,235 | $756 |
| 6 | South Boston | 7,942 | 85 | $49,654 | $128,262 | $703 |
| 7 | Marion | 5,722 | 85 | $37,337 | $144,743 | $683 |
| 8 | Galax | 6,687 | 86 | $44,612 | $162,413 | $660 |
| 9 | Buena Vista | 6,639 | 87 | $48,783 | $166,310 | $953 |
| 10 | Roanoke | 99,213 | 88 | $51,523 | $247,891 | $917 |
| 11 | Bristol | 17,036 | 88 | $45,250 | $191,989 | $784 |
| 12 | Big Stone Gap | 5,221 | 88 | $52,663 | $123,719 | $777 |
| 13 | Petersburg | 33,261 | 89 | $46,930 | $227,187 | $1,082 |
| 14 | Hopewell | 23,046 | 90 | $50,661 | $209,023 | $1,033 |
| 15 | Lynchburg | 79,166 | 91 | $56,243 | $242,735 | $972 |
| 16 | Radford | 16,379 | 91 | $51,039 | $239,703 | $967 |
| 17 | Wytheville | 8,228 | 91 | $39,459 | $197,791 | $639 |
| 18 | Vinton | 8,045 | 91 | $65,481 | $249,931 | $851 |
| 19 | Abingdon | 8,346 | 93 | $56,164 | $263,435 | $777 |
| 20 | Farmville | 7,647 | 93 | $39,233 | $237,401 | $869 |
| 21 | Emporia | 5,680 | 93 | $41,442 | $132,687 | $960 |
| 22 | Salem | 25,372 | 95 | $68,402 | $268,647 | $1,053 |
| 23 | Staunton | 25,581 | 97 | $59,731 | $275,801 | $984 |
| 24 | Christiansburg | 22,947 | 97 | $71,468 | $278,006 | $1,125 |
| 25 | Waynesboro | 22,341 | 97 | $52,519 | $277,470 | $909 |
| 26 | Colonial Heights | 18,158 | 97 | $72,216 | $268,411 | $1,123 |
| 27 | Franklin | 8,194 | 98 | $57,537 | $212,203 | $925 |
| 28 | Newport News | 185,118 | 99 | $63,355 | $263,687 | $1,209 |
| 29 | Front Royal | 15,064 | 99 | $62,735 | $339,972 | $1,096 |
| 30 | Portsmouth | 97,384 | 100 | $57,154 | $238,266 | $1,225 |
| 31 | Ashland | 7,617 | 100 | $58,904 | $394,438 | $1,170 |
| 32 | Norfolk | 236,973 | 102 | $60,998 | $284,301 | $1,188 |
| 33 | Harrisonburg | 51,784 | 102 | $56,050 | $316,643 | $1,060 |
| 34 | Lexington | 7,346 | 102 | $93,651 | $313,583 | $1,000 |
| 35 | Strasburg | 7,104 | 102 | $56,244 | $311,196 | $956 |
| 36 | Woodstock | 5,798 | 102 | $64,470 | $305,557 | $1,035 |
| 37 | Richmond | 227,171 | 103 | $59,606 | $328,655 | $1,227 |
| 38 | Hampton | 137,217 | 103 | $64,430 | $251,468 | $1,255 |
| 39 | Bridgewater | 6,575 | 103 | $72,051 | $340,657 | $1,106 |
| 40 | Culpeper | 20,105 | 104 | $86,940 | $404,059 | $1,372 |
| 41 | Blacksburg | 45,147 | 105 | $42,012 | $389,094 | $1,237 |
| 42 | Winchester | 28,103 | 106 | $62,495 | $356,203 | $1,230 |
| 43 | Suffolk | 94,856 | 108 | $87,758 | $346,835 | $1,376 |
| 44 | Charlottesville | 46,289 | 110 | $67,177 | $460,428 | $1,357 |
| 45 | Chesapeake | 249,377 | 112 | $92,703 | $374,172 | $1,446 |
| 46 | Smithfield | 8,625 | 112 | $101,081 | $360,172 | $1,099 |
| 47 | Dumfries | 5,697 | 113 | $75,629 | $537,443 | $1,612 |
| 48 | Virginia Beach | 457,900 | 114 | $87,544 | $384,137 | $1,568 |
| 49 | Poquoson | 12,479 | 115 | $114,503 | $419,118 | $1,584 |
| 50 | Williamsburg | 15,486 | 116 | $66,815 | $422,921 | $1,274 |
| 51 | Warrenton | 10,111 | 119 | $83,737 | $605,326 | $1,520 |
| 52 | Manassas Park | 17,123 | 121 | $91,673 | $410,921 | $2,073 |
| 53 | Manassas | 42,620 | 122 | $110,559 | $514,283 | $1,784 |
| 54 | Fredericksburg | 28,258 | 127 | $83,445 | $429,414 | $1,462 |
| 55 | Purcellville | 8,928 | 130 | $150,333 | $788,454 | $2,128 |
| 56 | Leesburg | 48,465 | 132 | $132,298 | $757,521 | $1,859 |
| 57 | Herndon | 24,456 | 140 | $133,403 | $679,629 | $2,029 |
| 58 | Fairfax | 24,242 | 146 | $128,708 | $702,237 | $1,972 |
| 59 | Alexandria | 157,594 | 152 | $113,179 | $611,500 | $1,983 |
| 60 | Vienna | 16,401 | 171 | $215,556 | $1,007,468 | $2,410 |
| 61 | Falls Church | 14,576 | 175 | $164,536 | $693,453 | $2,074 |