Cost of living in Lynchburg 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 Lynchburg 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 Lynchburg is 93, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Lynchburg is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Lynchburg ranks as the #19 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Lynchburg ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Lynchburg is $260,331.
The median income in Lynchburg is $59,808.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lynchburg has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Lynchburg has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Lynchburg ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Lynchburg ranks as the #171 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Lynchburg, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lynchburg. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Lynchburg is 97.
The Groceries index in Lynchburg is 97.
The Health index in Lynchburg is 100.
The Housing index in Lynchburg is 90.
The Transportation index in Lynchburg is 88.
The Utilities index in Lynchburg is 113.
| Living Expense | Lynchburg | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 90 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 88 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 113 | 104 | 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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Lynchburg is $260,331.
The Median Rent in Lynchburg is $1,043.
The Median Income in Lynchburg is $59,808.
The Home Value To Income in Lynchburg is 4.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Lynchburg is 0.21x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lynchburg. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Cave Spring, VA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Lynchburg.
Salem, VA has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Lynchburg.
Waynesboro, VA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Lynchburg.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Lynchburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cave Spring, VA | 26,014 | 106 | 1.1x |
| Salem, VA | 25,477 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Waynesboro, VA | 22,574 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Hollins, VA | 17,005 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Timberlake, VA | 12,833 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Forest, VA | 12,476 | 105 | 1.1x |
| Stuarts Draft, VA | 11,920 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Madison Heights, VA | 10,398 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Vinton, VA | 8,038 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Lexington, VA | 7,420 | 104 | 1.1x |