Cost of living in Springfield 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 Springfield 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 Springfield is 151, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Springfield is 1.5x higher than the national average.
Springfield ranks as the #142 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Springfield ranks as the #5,719 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Springfield is $694,876.
The median income in Springfield is $123,691.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Springfield has an overall cost of living index of 151, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Springfield has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Springfield ranks as #142 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Springfield ranks as the #48 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Springfield, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Springfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Springfield is 109.
The Groceries index in Springfield is 114.
The Health index in Springfield is 111.
The Housing index in Springfield is 250.
The Transportation index in Springfield is 109.
The Utilities index in Springfield is 103.
| Living Expense | Springfield | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 151 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 114 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 111 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 250 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 103 | 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 Springfield is $694,876.
The Median Rent in Springfield is $2,643.
The Median Income in Springfield is $123,691.
The Home Value To Income in Springfield is 5.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Springfield is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Springfield | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $694,876 | $404,962 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,643 | $1,514 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $123,691 | $90,974 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.6x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Springfield | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.34 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.08 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.34 | $18 |
| Haircut | $25.51 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $47.63 | $45.56 |
| Item | Springfield | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.08 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.68 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.3 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.83 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.62 | $3.7 |
| Item | Springfield | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $120.12 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $135.82 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $98.77 | $113.29 |
| Item | Springfield | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.34 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.7 | $59.92 |
| Item | Springfield | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $213.29 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $184.83 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Springfield. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Bethesda, MD has a cost of living index of 202, 1.3x Springfield.
Annandale, VA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x Springfield.
West Springfield, VA has a cost of living index of 153, 1.0x Springfield.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda, MD | 67,403 | 202 | 1.3x |
| Annandale, VA | 41,982 | 147 | 1.0x |
| West Springfield, VA | 22,905 | 153 | 1.0x |
| Lincolnia, VA | 19,913 | 148 | 1.0x |
| Franklin Farm, VA | 18,509 | 171 | 1.1x |
| Franconia, VA | 18,141 | 143 | 0.9x |
| Kingstowne, VA | 17,436 | 151 | 1.0x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,437 | 145 | 1.0x |
| Newington, VA | 13,824 | 150 | 1.0x |
| Travilah, MD | 11,128 | 224 | 1.5x |