Staunton, VA Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Staunton. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Staunton compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Staunton, Virginia

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:

102 Cost of living index 1.0x higher vs US
#32 Cheapest in Virginia (of 188)
#2,732 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$308,028 Median home value
$1,024 Median rent
$65,581 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Staunton, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Staunton has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher 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 112.

The standard of living in Staunton ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 188 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Staunton ranks as the #156 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Staunton, check out:

Staunton Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

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

  • The Services index in Staunton is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Staunton is 105.

  • The Health index in Staunton is 92.

  • The Housing index in Staunton is 100.

  • The Transportation index in Staunton is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Staunton is 108.

Living Expense Staunton Virginia National Average
Overall 102 112 100
Services 103 103 100
Groceries 105 104 100
Health 92 131 100
Housing 100 105 100
Transportation 107 105 100
Utilities 108 104 100

Staunton Cost Of Living Compared To Virginia Averages

Services
Staunton 103
Virginia avg 103
Groceries
Staunton 105
Virginia avg 104
Health
Staunton 92
Virginia avg 131
Housing
Staunton 100
Virginia avg 105
Transportation
Staunton 107
Virginia avg 105
Utilities
Staunton 108
Virginia avg 104

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Staunton, VA Housing Cost Breakdown

$308,028Median Home Value
$1,024Median Rent
$65,581Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Staunton is $308,028.

  • The Median Rent in Staunton is $1,024.

  • The Median Income in Staunton is $65,581.

  • The Home Value To Income in Staunton is 4.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Staunton is 0.19x.

Statistic Staunton Virginia United States
Median Home Value $308,028 $412,467 $332,700
Median Rent $1,024 $1,579 $1,413
Median Income $65,581 $93,170 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.7x 4.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.2x 0.21x

Staunton, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Staunton Services costs vs. Virginia
Item Staunton Virginia
Shampoo $1.71 $1.28
Movie $15.32 $12.13
Bowling $25.5 $18
Haircut $27.97 $24.26
Beauty Salon $54.19 $45.56
Detailed Staunton Groceries costs vs. Virginia
Item Staunton Virginia
Ground Beef $6.34 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $5.33 $4.93
Pizza $12.47 $12.09
Beer $11.67 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7
Detailed Staunton Health costs vs. Virginia
Item Staunton Virginia
Optometrist $121.84 $125.68
Doctor $168.85 $135.78
Dentist $135.19 $113.29
Detailed Staunton Transportation costs vs. Virginia
Item Staunton Virginia
Gasoline $3.49 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.76 $59.92
Detailed Staunton Utilities costs vs. Virginia
Item Staunton Virginia
All Electricity $201.35 $193.99
Phone $184.83 $192.25

Staunton SnackAbility

7Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8/10
Housing 7/10
Affordability 6/10
Diversity 8/10
Safety 6/10
Amenities 8.5/10
Education 8/10
Commute 8/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Staunton

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 109, 1.1x Staunton.

  • Charlottesville, VA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.2x Staunton.

  • Waynesboro, VA has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Staunton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Staunton
Harrisonburg, VA 51,392 109 1.1x
Charlottesville, VA 45,437 124 1.2x
Waynesboro, VA 22,841 99 1.0x
Stuarts Draft, VA 11,780 106 1.0x
Lake Monticello, VA 10,662 114 1.1x
Madison Heights, VA 10,266 97 1.0x
Fishersville, VA 9,484 111 1.1x
Lexington, VA 7,525 110 1.1x
Buena Vista, VA 6,593 93 0.9x