Before you decide to relocate to Virginia, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Virginia that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 62 places in Virginia with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Virginia for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Virginia For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Virginia? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Falls Church is the most expensive place to live in Virginia.
Danville (the cheapest place to live in Virginia) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Virginia and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Virginia For 2024
/10
Population: 14,576
Cost Of Living Index: 175
Median Income: $164,536
Average Home Price: $693,453
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.2x
More on Falls Church: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Falls Church is 175. The median income in Falls Church comes in at $164,536 and the average home value is $693,453 for 2024.
/10
Population: 16,401
Cost Of Living Index: 171
Median Income: $215,556
Average Home Price: $1,007,468
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.7x
More on Vienna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Vienna is 171. The median income in Vienna comes in at $215,556 and the average home value is $1,007,468 for 2024.
/10
Population: 157,594
Cost Of Living Index: 152
Median Income: $113,179
Average Home Price: $611,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.4x
More on Alexandria: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Alexandria is 152. The median income in Alexandria comes in at $113,179 and the average home value is $611,500 for 2024.
/10
Population: 24,242
Cost Of Living Index: 146
Median Income: $128,708
Average Home Price: $702,237
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.5x
More on Fairfax: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Fairfax is 146. The median income in Fairfax comes in at $128,708 and the average home value is $702,237 for 2024.
/10
Population: 24,456
Cost Of Living Index: 140
Median Income: $133,403
Average Home Price: $679,629
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.1x
More on Herndon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Herndon is 140. The median income in Herndon comes in at $133,403 and the average home value is $679,629 for 2024.
/10
Population: 48,465
Cost Of Living Index: 132
Median Income: $132,298
Average Home Price: $757,521
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.7x
More on Leesburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Leesburg is 132. The median income in Leesburg comes in at $132,298 and the average home value is $757,521 for 2024.
/10
Population: 8,928
Cost Of Living Index: 130
Median Income: $150,333
Average Home Price: $788,454
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.2x
More on Purcellville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Purcellville is 130. The median income in Purcellville comes in at $150,333 and the average home value is $788,454 for 2024.
/10
Population: 28,258
Cost Of Living Index: 127
Median Income: $83,445
Average Home Price: $429,414
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.1x
More on Fredericksburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Fredericksburg is 127. The median income in Fredericksburg comes in at $83,445 and the average home value is $429,414 for 2024.
/10
Population: 42,620
Cost Of Living Index: 122
Median Income: $110,559
Average Home Price: $514,283
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.7x
More on Manassas: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Manassas is 122. The median income in Manassas comes in at $110,559 and the average home value is $514,283 for 2024.
/10
Population: 17,123
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $91,673
Average Home Price: $410,921
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.5x
More on Manassas Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Manassas Park is 121. The median income in Manassas Park comes in at $91,673 and the average home value is $410,921 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Old Dominion For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Virginia are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Virginia to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 62 places in Virginia that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Virginia according to the data is Falls Church. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Virginia.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Virginia For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Virginia that have the highest cost of living, with Falls Church ranking as the most expensive city in the Old Dominion.
The most expensive cities in Virginia are Falls Church, Vienna, Alexandria, Fairfax, Herndon, Leesburg, Purcellville, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Virginia according to the data:
- Danville
- Richlands
- Covington
For more Virginia reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In Virginia
- Most Dangerous Cities In Virginia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Virginia
- Safest Places In Virginia
- Worst Cities In Virginia For 2017
Most Expensive Cities In Virginia
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falls Church | 175 | 14,576 | $164,536 | $693,453 | 4.2x |
| 2 | Vienna | 171 | 16,401 | $215,556 | $1,007,468 | 4.7x |
| 3 | Alexandria | 152 | 157,594 | $113,179 | $611,500 | 5.4x |
| 4 | Fairfax | 146 | 24,242 | $128,708 | $702,237 | 5.5x |
| 5 | Herndon | 140 | 24,456 | $133,403 | $679,629 | 5.1x |
| 6 | Leesburg | 132 | 48,465 | $132,298 | $757,521 | 5.7x |
| 7 | Purcellville | 130 | 8,928 | $150,333 | $788,454 | 5.2x |
| 8 | Fredericksburg | 127 | 28,258 | $83,445 | $429,414 | 5.1x |
| 9 | Manassas | 122 | 42,620 | $110,559 | $514,283 | 4.7x |
| 10 | Manassas Park | 121 | 17,123 | $91,673 | $410,921 | 4.5x |
| 11 | Warrenton | 119 | 10,111 | $83,737 | $605,326 | 7.2x |
| 12 | Williamsburg | 116 | 15,486 | $66,815 | $422,921 | 6.3x |
| 13 | Poquoson | 115 | 12,479 | $114,503 | $419,118 | 3.7x |
| 14 | Virginia Beach | 114 | 457,900 | $87,544 | $384,137 | 4.4x |
| 15 | Dumfries | 113 | 5,697 | $75,629 | $537,443 | 7.1x |
| 16 | Chesapeake | 112 | 249,377 | $92,703 | $374,172 | 4.0x |
| 17 | Smithfield | 112 | 8,625 | $101,081 | $360,172 | 3.6x |
| 18 | Charlottesville | 110 | 46,289 | $67,177 | $460,428 | 6.9x |
| 19 | Suffolk | 108 | 94,856 | $87,758 | $346,835 | 4.0x |
| 20 | Winchester | 106 | 28,103 | $62,495 | $356,203 | 5.7x |
| 21 | Blacksburg | 105 | 45,147 | $42,012 | $389,094 | 9.3x |
| 22 | Culpeper | 104 | 20,105 | $86,940 | $404,059 | 4.6x |
| 23 | Richmond | 103 | 227,171 | $59,606 | $328,655 | 5.5x |
| 24 | Hampton | 103 | 137,217 | $64,430 | $251,468 | 3.9x |
| 25 | Bridgewater | 103 | 6,575 | $72,051 | $340,657 | 4.7x |
| 26 | Norfolk | 102 | 236,973 | $60,998 | $284,301 | 4.7x |
| 27 | Harrisonburg | 102 | 51,784 | $56,050 | $316,643 | 5.6x |
| 28 | Lexington | 102 | 7,346 | $93,651 | $313,583 | 3.3x |
| 29 | Strasburg | 102 | 7,104 | $56,244 | $311,196 | 5.5x |
| 30 | Woodstock | 102 | 5,798 | $64,470 | $305,557 | 4.7x |
| 31 | Portsmouth | 100 | 97,384 | $57,154 | $238,266 | 4.2x |
| 32 | Ashland | 100 | 7,617 | $58,904 | $394,438 | 6.7x |
| 33 | Newport News | 99 | 185,118 | $63,355 | $263,687 | 4.2x |
| 34 | Front Royal | 99 | 15,064 | $62,735 | $339,972 | 5.4x |
| 35 | Franklin | 98 | 8,194 | $57,537 | $212,203 | 3.7x |
| 36 | Staunton | 97 | 25,581 | $59,731 | $275,801 | 4.6x |
| 37 | Christiansburg | 97 | 22,947 | $71,468 | $278,006 | 3.9x |
| 38 | Waynesboro | 97 | 22,341 | $52,519 | $277,470 | 5.3x |
| 39 | Colonial Heights | 97 | 18,158 | $72,216 | $268,411 | 3.7x |
| 40 | Salem | 95 | 25,372 | $68,402 | $268,647 | 3.9x |
| 41 | Abingdon | 93 | 8,346 | $56,164 | $263,435 | 4.7x |
| 42 | Farmville | 93 | 7,647 | $39,233 | $237,401 | 6.1x |
| 43 | Emporia | 93 | 5,680 | $41,442 | $132,687 | 3.2x |
| 44 | Lynchburg | 91 | 79,166 | $56,243 | $242,735 | 4.3x |
| 45 | Radford | 91 | 16,379 | $51,039 | $239,703 | 4.7x |
| 46 | Wytheville | 91 | 8,228 | $39,459 | $197,791 | 5.0x |
| 47 | Vinton | 91 | 8,045 | $65,481 | $249,931 | 3.8x |
| 48 | Hopewell | 90 | 23,046 | $50,661 | $209,023 | 4.1x |
| 49 | Petersburg | 89 | 33,261 | $46,930 | $227,187 | 4.8x |
| 50 | Roanoke | 88 | 99,213 | $51,523 | $247,891 | 4.8x |
| 51 | Bristol | 88 | 17,036 | $45,250 | $191,989 | 4.2x |
| 52 | Big Stone Gap | 88 | 5,221 | $52,663 | $123,719 | 2.3x |
| 53 | Bluefield | 88 | 5,059 | $53,162 | $122,214 | 2.3x |
| 54 | Buena Vista | 87 | 6,639 | $48,783 | $166,310 | 3.4x |
| 55 | Galax | 86 | 6,687 | $44,612 | $162,413 | 3.6x |
| 56 | Pulaski | 85 | 8,982 | $55,213 | $145,235 | 2.6x |
| 57 | South Boston | 85 | 7,942 | $49,654 | $128,262 | 2.6x |
| 58 | Marion | 85 | 5,722 | $37,337 | $144,743 | 3.9x |
| 59 | Martinsville | 83 | 13,539 | $39,127 | $117,492 | 3.0x |
| 60 | Covington | 83 | 5,722 | $45,737 | $129,579 | 2.8x |
| 61 | Richlands | 82 | 5,266 | $35,959 | $100,563 | 2.8x |
| 62 | Danville | 79 | 42,507 | $41,484 | $137,067 | 3.3x |