Great Falls, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Great Falls, VA Summary

Cost of living in Great Falls 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 Great Falls 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 Great Falls is 228, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Great Falls is 2.3x higher than the national average.

  • Great Falls ranks as the #190 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Great Falls ranks as the #6,403 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Great Falls is $1,639,925.

  • The median income in Great Falls is $250,001.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
228
Great Falls's Overall Cost Of Living
2.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Great Falls, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Great Falls has an overall cost of living index of 228, which is 2.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Great Falls has a cost of living index that's 2.1x higher than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Great Falls ranks as #190 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Great Falls ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Great Falls, check out:

190 out of 190
In Virginia
6,403 out of 6,489
In America

Great Falls Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Great Falls. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Great Falls is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Great Falls is 107.

  • The Health index in Great Falls is 98.

  • The Housing index in Great Falls is 516.

  • The Transportation index in Great Falls is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Great Falls is 112.

Living Expense Great Falls Virginia National Average
Overall 228 110 100
Services 108 101 100
Groceries 107 99 100
Health 98 98 100
Housing 516 130 100
Transportation 93 94 100
Utilities 112 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Great Falls Cost of Living Vs. VA

Great Falls, VA Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Great Falls is $1,639,925.

  • The Median Rent in Great Falls is $3,463.

  • The Median Income in Great Falls is $250,001.

  • The Home Value To Income in Great Falls is 6.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Great Falls is 0.17x.

Statistic Great Falls Virginia United States
Median Home Value $1,639,925 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $3,463 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $250,001 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.6x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.2x 0.21x
$1,639,925
Median Home Value
$3,463
Median Rent
$250,001
Median Income

Great Falls, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Great Falls Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Great Falls Virginia
Shampoo $1.51 $1.28
Movie $15.69 $12.13
Bowling $24.83 $18
Haircut $26.11 $24.26
Beauty Salon $70.08 $45.56

Detailed Great Falls Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Great Falls Virginia
Ground Beef $6.24 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $5.49 $4.93
Pizza $12.56 $12.09
Beer $11.1 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7

Detailed Great Falls Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Great Falls Virginia
Optometrist $92.0 $125.68
Doctor $135.03 $135.78
Dentist $117.67 $113.29

Detailed Great Falls Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Great Falls Virginia
Gasoline $3.25 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.0 $59.92

Detailed Great Falls Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Great Falls Virginia
All Electricity $222.47 $193.99
Phone $197.37 $192.25

Great Falls SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
10
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Great Falls

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Great Falls. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Reston, VA has a cost of living index of 150, 0.7x Great Falls.

  • Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 0.7x Great Falls.

  • Sterling, VA has a cost of living index of 133, 0.6x Great Falls.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Great Falls
Reston, VA 63,542 150 0.7x
Olney, MD 36,000 153 0.7x
Sterling, VA 31,251 133 0.6x
Clarksburg, MD 29,246 152 0.7x
Herndon, VA 24,529 143 0.6x
North Potomac, MD 23,994 172 0.8x
Wolf Trap, VA 16,020 210 0.9x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,437 145 0.6x
Colesville, MD 14,075 140 0.6x
Sugarland Run, VA 12,920 145 0.6x

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