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 2020-2024 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 2026.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Virginia For 2026
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.
Richlands (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 2026
/10
Population: 14,710
Cost Of Living Index: 184
Median Income: $143,262
Average Home Price: $789,603
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.5x
More on Falls Church: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Falls Church is 184. The median income in Falls Church comes in at $143,262 and the average home value is $789,603 for 2026.
/10
Population: 16,412
Cost Of Living Index: 183
Median Income: $216,953
Average Home Price: $1,179,672
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.4x
More on Vienna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Vienna is 183. The median income in Vienna comes in at $216,953 and the average home value is $1,179,672 for 2026.
/10
Population: 25,026
Cost Of Living Index: 158
Median Income: $132,348
Average Home Price: $792,535
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.0x
More on Fairfax: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Fairfax is 158. The median income in Fairfax comes in at $132,348 and the average home value is $792,535 for 2026.
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Population: 156,976
Cost Of Living Index: 153
Median Income: $119,681
Average Home Price: $676,204
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.7x
More on Alexandria: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Alexandria is 153. The median income in Alexandria comes in at $119,681 and the average home value is $676,204 for 2026.
/10
Population: 24,672
Cost Of Living Index: 147
Median Income: $148,000
Average Home Price: $740,679
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.0x
More on Herndon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Herndon is 147. The median income in Herndon comes in at $148,000 and the average home value is $740,679 for 2026.
/10
Population: 8,973
Cost Of Living Index: 143
Median Income: $165,121
Average Home Price: $909,565
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.5x
More on Purcellville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Purcellville is 143. The median income in Purcellville comes in at $165,121 and the average home value is $909,565 for 2026.
/10
Population: 49,171
Cost Of Living Index: 142
Median Income: $145,205
Average Home Price: $865,516
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.0x
More on Leesburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Leesburg is 142. The median income in Leesburg comes in at $145,205 and the average home value is $865,516 for 2026.
/10
Population: 10,176
Cost Of Living Index: 128
Median Income: $83,331
Average Home Price: $681,948
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.2x
More on Warrenton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Warrenton is 128. The median income in Warrenton comes in at $83,331 and the average home value is $681,948 for 2026.
/10
Population: 28,873
Cost Of Living Index: 127
Median Income: $86,071
Average Home Price: $480,265
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.6x
More on Fredericksburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Fredericksburg is 127. The median income in Fredericksburg comes in at $86,071 and the average home value is $480,265 for 2026.
/10
Population: 42,976
Cost Of Living Index: 126
Median Income: $113,590
Average Home Price: $557,118
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.9x
More on Manassas: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Manassas is 126. The median income in Manassas comes in at $113,590 and the average home value is $557,118 for 2026.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Old Dominion For 2026
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 2020-2024 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 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the most expensive places to live in Virginia.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Virginia For 2026
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, Fairfax, Alexandria, Herndon, Purcellville, Leesburg, Warrenton, Fredericksburg, and Manassas.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Virginia according to the data:
- Richlands
- Marion
- 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 | 184 | 14,710 | $143,262 | $789,603 | 5.5x |
| 2 | Vienna | 183 | 16,412 | $216,953 | $1,179,672 | 5.4x |
| 3 | Fairfax | 158 | 25,026 | $132,348 | $792,535 | 6.0x |
| 4 | Alexandria | 153 | 156,976 | $119,681 | $676,204 | 5.7x |
| 5 | Herndon | 147 | 24,672 | $148,000 | $740,679 | 5.0x |
| 6 | Purcellville | 143 | 8,973 | $165,121 | $909,565 | 5.5x |
| 7 | Leesburg | 142 | 49,171 | $145,205 | $865,516 | 6.0x |
| 8 | Warrenton | 128 | 10,176 | $83,331 | $681,948 | 8.2x |
| 9 | Fredericksburg | 127 | 28,873 | $86,071 | $480,265 | 5.6x |
| 10 | Manassas | 126 | 42,976 | $113,590 | $557,118 | 4.9x |
| 11 | Manassas Park | 125 | 16,798 | $103,250 | $462,196 | 4.5x |
| 12 | Williamsburg | 125 | 15,798 | $75,604 | $464,103 | 6.1x |
| 13 | Poquoson | 125 | 12,639 | $120,972 | $462,479 | 3.8x |
| 14 | Charlottesville | 124 | 45,437 | $74,824 | $515,217 | 6.9x |
| 15 | Blacksburg | 120 | 45,446 | $50,182 | $420,778 | 8.4x |
| 16 | Culpeper | 119 | 20,794 | $94,721 | $451,494 | 4.8x |
| 17 | Virginia Beach | 118 | 456,349 | $92,968 | $427,031 | 4.6x |
| 18 | Chesapeake | 117 | 252,583 | $95,373 | $420,755 | 4.4x |
| 19 | Suffolk | 116 | 98,796 | $92,666 | $384,300 | 4.1x |
| 20 | Smithfield | 116 | 8,834 | $113,158 | $393,349 | 3.5x |
| 21 | Dumfries | 114 | 5,816 | $82,355 | $596,416 | 7.2x |
| 22 | Richmond | 112 | 229,359 | $64,587 | $369,645 | 5.7x |
| 23 | Winchester | 112 | 27,913 | $63,974 | $399,456 | 6.2x |
| 24 | Bridgewater | 111 | 6,708 | $75,280 | $375,081 | 5.0x |
| 25 | Front Royal | 110 | 15,296 | $64,838 | $383,199 | 5.9x |
| 26 | Lexington | 110 | 7,525 | $84,517 | $358,988 | 4.2x |
| 27 | Norfolk | 109 | 233,596 | $66,109 | $306,226 | 4.6x |
| 28 | Harrisonburg | 109 | 51,392 | $62,254 | $348,178 | 5.6x |
| 29 | Woodstock | 108 | 5,871 | $76,100 | $337,785 | 4.4x |
| 30 | Hampton | 107 | 137,557 | $69,621 | $275,340 | 4.0x |
| 31 | Orange | 107 | 5,066 | $76,370 | $336,893 | 4.4x |
| 32 | Salem | 106 | 25,618 | $66,725 | $305,425 | 4.6x |
| 33 | Ashland | 106 | 7,772 | $61,164 | $463,340 | 7.6x |
| 34 | Portsmouth | 104 | 97,190 | $60,491 | $260,461 | 4.3x |
| 35 | Colonial Heights | 104 | 18,352 | $76,505 | $294,925 | 3.9x |
| 36 | Strasburg | 104 | 7,214 | $62,464 | $346,089 | 5.5x |
| 37 | Newport News | 103 | 184,216 | $69,634 | $290,659 | 4.2x |
| 38 | Christiansburg | 103 | 22,720 | $77,147 | $304,607 | 3.9x |
| 39 | Farmville | 103 | 7,774 | $40,966 | $261,291 | 6.4x |
| 40 | Lynchburg | 102 | 79,497 | $57,947 | $262,101 | 4.5x |
| 41 | Staunton | 102 | 25,948 | $65,581 | $308,028 | 4.7x |
| 42 | Franklin | 101 | 8,250 | $63,245 | $242,883 | 3.8x |
| 43 | Radford | 100 | 16,726 | $57,348 | $261,601 | 4.6x |
| 44 | Waynesboro | 99 | 22,841 | $59,994 | $312,910 | 5.2x |
| 45 | Petersburg | 96 | 33,537 | $50,698 | $245,998 | 4.9x |
| 46 | Hopewell | 96 | 22,959 | $54,729 | $232,748 | 4.3x |
| 47 | Wytheville | 96 | 8,202 | $47,270 | $223,768 | 4.7x |
| 48 | Vinton | 96 | 8,056 | $65,445 | $283,675 | 4.3x |
| 49 | Abingdon | 95 | 8,330 | $54,544 | $281,618 | 5.2x |
| 50 | South Boston | 95 | 7,853 | $44,052 | $149,171 | 3.4x |
| 51 | Roanoke | 94 | 98,355 | $55,378 | $277,113 | 5.0x |
| 52 | Buena Vista | 93 | 6,593 | $57,833 | $196,020 | 3.4x |
| 53 | Emporia | 91 | 5,547 | $51,899 | $159,793 | 3.1x |
| 54 | Pulaski | 90 | 8,893 | $49,491 | $168,551 | 3.4x |
| 55 | Big Stone Gap | 90 | 5,162 | $54,581 | $140,136 | 2.6x |
| 56 | Martinsville | 89 | 13,658 | $46,727 | $133,032 | 2.8x |
| 57 | Danville | 88 | 42,214 | $44,423 | $156,398 | 3.5x |
| 58 | Bristol | 88 | 16,849 | $50,404 | $201,474 | 4.0x |
| 59 | Galax | 88 | 6,726 | $38,675 | $182,062 | 4.7x |
| 60 | Covington | 87 | 5,680 | $41,944 | $158,022 | 3.8x |
| 61 | Marion | 87 | 5,670 | $40,896 | $157,966 | 3.9x |
| 62 | Richlands | 86 | 5,171 | $37,154 | $106,217 | 2.9x |