Cost of living in South Riding 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 Riding 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 Riding is 161, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Riding is 1.6x higher than the national average.
South Riding ranks as the #161 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
South Riding ranks as the #5,919 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in South Riding is $773,998.
The median income in South Riding is $190,701.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Riding has an overall cost of living index of 161, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, South Riding has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than Virginia's index of 109.
The standard of living in South Riding ranks as #161 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies South Riding ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in South Riding, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Riding. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Riding is 107.
The Groceries index in South Riding is 109.
The Health index in South Riding is 96.
The Housing index in South Riding is 284.
The Transportation index in South Riding is 97.
The Utilities index in South Riding is 111.
| Living Expense | South Riding | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 161 | 109 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 99 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 109 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 284 | 132 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 111 | 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 South Riding is $773,998.
The Median Rent in South Riding is $2,853.
The Median Income in South Riding is $190,701.
The Home Value To Income in South Riding is 4.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Riding is 0.18x.
| Statistic | South Riding | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $773,998 | $404,962 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,853 | $1,514 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $190,701 | $90,974 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.1x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | South Riding | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.51 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.69 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.83 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $26.11 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $70.08 | $45.56 |
| Item | South Riding | 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 |
| Item | South Riding | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $92.0 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $135.03 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.67 | $113.29 |
| Item | South Riding | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.25 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $59.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | South Riding | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.47 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $197.37 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Riding. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Centreville, VA has a cost of living index of 146, 0.9x South Riding.
Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 199, 1.2x South Riding.
Brambleton, VA has a cost of living index of 166, 1.0x South Riding.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Riding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centreville, VA | 71,885 | 146 | 0.9x |
| Potomac, MD | 46,230 | 199 | 1.2x |
| Brambleton, VA | 23,999 | 166 | 1.0x |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,994 | 172 | 1.1x |
| Chantilly, VA | 23,744 | 152 | 0.9x |
| McNair, VA | 22,451 | 143 | 0.9x |
| Franklin Farm, VA | 18,509 | 171 | 1.1x |
| Stone Ridge, VA | 16,340 | 156 | 1.0x |
| Broadlands, VA | 14,673 | 166 | 1.0x |
| Dranesville, VA | 11,860 | 170 | 1.1x |