Cost of Living in Washington County, Virginia
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Washington County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Washington County ranks #1,080 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 34%)
Sourced county brief
Washington County Median Monthly Owner Costs Estimated at $681
Median monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units in Washington County are $681, a value that is $509 below the Virginia unweighted county mean of $1,190. The median home value for the county was estimated at $214,000, which is lower than the state unweighted county mean of $295,808. For those in rental housing, the median gross rent is $854 per month, compared to the Virginia unweighted county mean of $1,170. Renter-household median income is $43,667. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 23.6%, which is 5.0 percentage points below the Virginia unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 28.6%. This GRAPI figure is the canonical affordability percentage provided in the ACS B25071 table and is not a derived calculation. All figures represent snapshot data from the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25088 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Washington County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 23.6% of renter household income in Washington County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $854 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $681. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $34,160 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Virginia unweighted mean of county median rents is $1,170 per month. Washington County's $854 median is 27.0% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Washington County
Rent Burden
15.9%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,506
per month
Owner Cost Burden
12.7%
of gross income
The median home in Washington County may be a stretch
Median home value is $214,000. Estimated monthly cost: $1,708 vs. your max of $1,506.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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