Cost of living in Staunton 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 Staunton 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 Staunton is 99, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Staunton is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Staunton ranks as the #33 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Staunton ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Staunton is $300,984.
The median income in Staunton is $62,586.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Staunton has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Staunton has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Staunton ranks as #33 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Staunton ranks as the #157 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Staunton, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Staunton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Staunton is 105.
The Groceries index in Staunton is 100.
The Health index in Staunton is 94.
The Housing index in Staunton is 93.
The Transportation index in Staunton is 94.
The Utilities index in Staunton is 105.
| Living Expense | Staunton | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 99 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 93 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 105 | 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 Staunton is $300,984.
The Median Rent in Staunton is $993.
The Median Income in Staunton is $62,586.
The Home Value To Income in Staunton is 4.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Staunton is 0.19x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Staunton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Harrisonburg, VA has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Staunton.
Charlottesville, VA has a cost of living index of 121, 1.2x Staunton.
Waynesboro, VA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Staunton.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Staunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | 51,492 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Charlottesville, VA | 45,863 | 121 | 1.2x |
| Waynesboro, VA | 22,574 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Stuarts Draft, VA | 11,920 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Lake Monticello, VA | 10,820 | 112 | 1.1x |
| Madison Heights, VA | 10,398 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Fishersville, VA | 9,546 | 112 | 1.1x |
| Lexington, VA | 7,420 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Buena Vista, VA | 6,612 | 91 | 0.9x |