South Boston, VA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In South Boston, VA Summary

Cost of living in South Boston 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 South Boston 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 South Boston is 86, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in South Boston is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • South Boston ranks as the #7 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • South Boston ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in South Boston is $144,257.

  • The median income in South Boston is $41,102.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
86
South Boston's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in South Boston, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Boston has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, South Boston has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in South Boston ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies South Boston ranks as the #183 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in South Boston, check out:

7 out of 190
In Virginia
639 out of 6,489
In America

South Boston Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in South Boston is 92.

  • The Groceries index in South Boston is 98.

  • The Health index in South Boston is 101.

  • The Housing index in South Boston is 70.

  • The Transportation index in South Boston is 91.

  • The Utilities index in South Boston is 98.

Living Expense South Boston Virginia National Average
Overall 86 110 100
Services 92 101 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 101 98 100
Housing 70 130 100
Transportation 91 94 100
Utilities 98 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
South Boston Cost of Living Vs. VA

South Boston, 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 South Boston is $144,257.

  • The Median Rent in South Boston is $756.

  • The Median Income in South Boston is $41,102.

  • The Home Value To Income in South Boston is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in South Boston is 0.22x.

Statistic South Boston Virginia United States
Median Home Value $144,257 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $756 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $41,102 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$144,257
Median Home Value
$756
Median Rent
$41,102
Median Income

South Boston, VA Costs By Category

Detailed South Boston Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item South Boston Virginia
Shampoo $1.21 $1.28
Movie $13.37 $12.13
Bowling $17.53 $18
Haircut $18.48 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.55 $45.56

Detailed South Boston Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item South Boston Virginia
Ground Beef $6.07 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.99 $4.93
Pizza $11.82 $12.09
Beer $10.65 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.68 $3.7

Detailed South Boston Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item South Boston Virginia
Optometrist $147.06 $125.68
Doctor $105.73 $135.78
Dentist $103.75 $113.29

Detailed South Boston Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item South Boston Virginia
Gasoline $3.28 $3.46
Tire Balancing $44.5 $59.92

Detailed South Boston Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item South Boston Virginia
All Electricity $179.79 $193.99
Phone $185.37 $192.25

South Boston SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
4
Amenities
7
Education
5
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around South Boston

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

  • Lynchburg, VA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x South Boston.

  • Danville, VA has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x South Boston.

  • Mebane, NC has a cost of living index of 100, 1.2x South Boston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. South Boston
Lynchburg, VA 79,255 93 1.1x
Danville, VA 42,239 85 1.0x
Mebane, NC 18,899 100 1.2x
Henderson, NC 14,922 84 1.0x
Reidsville, NC 14,547 86 1.0x
Timberlake, VA 12,833 99 1.2x
Hillsborough, NC 9,656 111 1.3x
Oxford, NC 8,897 92 1.1x
Roxboro, NC 8,144 82 1.0x
Butner, NC 7,996 93 1.1x

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