Cost of living in South Boston research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means South Boston is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in South Boston is 81, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Boston is 0.8x lower than the national average.
South Boston ranks as the #5 cheapest in Virginia out of 186.
South Boston ranks as the #290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in South Boston is $142,000.
The median income in South Boston is $45,408.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Boston has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, South Boston has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Virginia's index of 102.
The standard of living in South Boston ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 186 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies South Boston ranks as the #181 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in South Boston, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Boston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Boston is 88.
The Groceries index in South Boston is 92.
The Health index in South Boston is 109.
The Housing index in South Boston is 60.
The Transportation index in South Boston is 83.
The Utilities index in South Boston is 103.
Living Expense | South Boston | Virginia | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 81 | 102 | 100 | |
Services | 88 | 102 | 100 | |
Groceries | 92 | 98 | 100 | |
Health | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
Housing | 60 | 107 | 100 | |
Transportation | 83 | 95 | 100 | |
Utilities | 103 | 102 | 100 |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in South Boston is $142,000.
The Median Rent in South Boston is $678.
The Median Income in South Boston is $45,408.
The Home Value To Income in South Boston is 3.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Boston is 0.18x.
Statistic | South Boston | Virginia | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $142,000 | $295,500 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $678 | $1,326 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $45,408 | $80,615 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 3.1x | 3.7x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.2x | 0.2x |
Item | South Boston | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Shampoo | $0.88 | $1.06 |
Movie | $10.67 | $10.68 |
Bowling | $12.0 | $14.67 |
Haircut | $14.5 | $18.62 |
Beauty Salon | $22.08 | $39.05 |
Item | South Boston | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Ground Beef | $4.34 | $4.22 |
Fried Chicken | $1.01 | $1.39 |
Milk | $1.67 | $2.05 |
Potatoes | $3.79 | $3.29 |
Pizza | $11.66 | $10.62 |
Beer | $9.49 | $9.38 |
Toothpaste | $1.87 | $2.34 |
Item | South Boston | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $96.33 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $84.56 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $138.33 | $99.13 |
Item | South Boston | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $1.86 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $43.41 | $50.07 |
Item | South Boston | Virginia |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $180.08 | $167.67 |
Phone | $177.97 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Boston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Lynchburg, VA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x South Boston.
Danville, VA has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x South Boston.
Mebane, NC has a cost of living index of 95, 1.2x South Boston.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Boston |
---|---|---|---|
Lynchburg, VA | 78,973 | 88 | 1.1x |
Danville, VA | 42,556 | 83 | 1.0x |
Mebane, NC | 17,192 | 95 | 1.2x |
Henderson, NC | 15,084 | 84 | 1.0x |
Reidsville, NC | 14,463 | 83 | 1.0x |
Timberlake, VA | 12,972 | 93 | 1.1x |
Hillsborough, NC | 9,342 | 95 | 1.2x |
Oxford, NC | 8,658 | 85 | 1.0x |
Butner, NC | 8,295 | 89 | 1.1x |
Roxboro, NC | 8,097 | 80 | 1.0x |