Cost of living in McLean 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 McLean 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 McLean is 227, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in McLean is 2.3x higher than the national average.
McLean ranks as the #189 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
McLean ranks as the #6,400 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in McLean is $1,405,990.
The median income in McLean is $250,001.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, McLean has an overall cost of living index of 227, which is 2.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, McLean has a cost of living index that's 2.1x higher than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in McLean ranks as #189 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies McLean ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in McLean, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in McLean. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in McLean is 109.
The Groceries index in McLean is 107.
The Health index in McLean is 98.
The Housing index in McLean is 502.
The Transportation index in McLean is 96.
The Utilities index in McLean is 110.
| Living Expense | McLean | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 227 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 502 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 96 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 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 McLean is $1,405,990.
The Median Rent in McLean is $3,376.
The Median Income in McLean is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in McLean is 5.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in McLean is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around McLean. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 199, 0.9x McLean.
Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 0.7x McLean.
North Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 172, 0.8x McLean.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. McLean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potomac, MD | 46,230 | 199 | 0.9x |
| Olney, MD | 36,000 | 153 | 0.7x |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,994 | 172 | 0.8x |
| Idylwood, VA | 17,469 | 158 | 0.7x |
| Vienna, VA | 16,369 | 185 | 0.8x |
| Falls Church, VA | 14,593 | 187 | 0.8x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,437 | 145 | 0.6x |
| Colesville, MD | 14,075 | 140 | 0.6x |
| Travilah, MD | 11,128 | 224 | 1.0x |
| Chevy Chase, MD | 9,484 | 257 | 1.1x |