Sterling, VA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Sterling, VA Summary
Cost of living in Sterling 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 Sterling 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 Sterling is 133, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Sterling is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Sterling ranks as the #107 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.
Sterling ranks as the #5,125 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Sterling is $630,465.
The median income in Sterling is $125,753.
Table Of Contents
Sterling's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Sterling, VA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sterling has an overall cost of living index of 133, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Sterling has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Virginia's index of 110.
The standard of living in Sterling ranks as #107 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Sterling ranks as the #83 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Sterling, check out:
In Virginia
In America
Sterling Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Sterling. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Sterling is 110.
The Groceries index in Sterling is 106.
The Health index in Sterling is 97.
The Housing index in Sterling is 204.
The Transportation index in Sterling is 93.
The Utilities index in Sterling is 111.
| Living Expense | Sterling | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 133 | 110 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 204 | 130 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 111 | 104 | 100 | |
Sterling, 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 Sterling is $630,465.
The Median Rent in Sterling is $1,979.
The Median Income in Sterling is $125,753.
The Home Value To Income in Sterling is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Sterling is 0.19x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Sterling, VA Costs By Category
Detailed Sterling Services Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Sterling Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Sterling Health Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Sterling Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Sterling Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia
Sterling SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Sterling
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Sterling. 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, 1.5x Sterling.
Ashburn, VA has a cost of living index of 152, 1.1x Sterling.
Clarksburg, MD has a cost of living index of 152, 1.1x Sterling.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda, MD | 67,403 | 202 | 1.5x |
| Ashburn, VA | 45,551 | 152 | 1.1x |
| Clarksburg, MD | 29,246 | 152 | 1.1x |
| Herndon, VA | 24,529 | 143 | 1.1x |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,994 | 172 | 1.3x |
| McNair, VA | 22,451 | 143 | 1.1x |
| Franklin Farm, VA | 18,509 | 171 | 1.3x |
| Sugarland Run, VA | 12,920 | 145 | 1.1x |
| Cascades, VA | 12,489 | 152 | 1.1x |
| Dranesville, VA | 11,860 | 170 | 1.3x |
