Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Lowest Price-to-Rent Ratios in Virginia
Price-to-rent is the median home value divided by a year of median gross rent, so a ratio of 12 means the house costs about twelve years of rent. Low ratios are where buying is cheapest against the local alternative. It is the one comparison on this site that assumes nothing about mortgage rates, down payment or how long you stay, which is why it travels well between counties. Both figures are Census five-year estimates for the same period, and rent here includes the utilities a tenant pays.
Where does yours land?
Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.
Virginia ranked
| # | County | Price-to-rent | Median home | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Covington city | 8.1 yrs | $80,200 | $822 |
| 2 | Martinsville city | 9.8 yrs | $92,500 | $784 |
| 3 | Emporia city | 10.3 yrs | $131,100 | $1,060 |
| 4 | Buchanan County | 10.7 yrs | $91,400 | $712 |
| 5 | Lee County | 11.3 yrs | $98,700 | $725 |
| 6 | Danville city | 11.4 yrs | $110,200 | $808 |
| 7 | Dickenson County | 11.5 yrs | $101,100 | $733 |
| 8 | Petersburg city | 11.6 yrs | $157,900 | $1,132 |
| 9 | Buena Vista city | 12.0 yrs | $153,500 | $1,067 |
| 10 | Norton city | 12.5 yrs | $100,700 | $670 |
| 11 | Wise County | 12.6 yrs | $116,500 | $770 |
| 12 | Hopewell city | 12.7 yrs | $165,100 | $1,085 |
| 13 | Brunswick County | 12.8 yrs | $132,700 | $864 |
| 14 | Tazewell County | 13.1 yrs | $116,100 | $738 |
| 15 | Alleghany County | 13.2 yrs | $122,300 | $774 |
| 16 | Greensville County | 13.8 yrs | $159,200 | $960 |
| 17 | Henry County | 14.2 yrs | $120,300 | $705 |
| 18 | Prince George County | 14.3 yrs | $268,300 | $1,563 |
| 19 | Hampton city | 14.5 yrs | $234,100 | $1,346 |
| 20 | Manassas Park city | 14.6 yrs | $381,200 | $2,175 |
| 21 | Russell County | 14.6 yrs | $119,600 | $682 |
| 22 | Nottoway County | 14.8 yrs | $179,800 | $1,009 |
| 23 | Pittsylvania County | 14.9 yrs | $153,000 | $856 |
| 24 | Portsmouth city | 15.1 yrs | $229,400 | $1,266 |
| 25 | Smyth County | 15.1 yrs | $125,800 | $692 |
| 26 | Galax city | 15.3 yrs | $126,800 | $692 |
| 27 | Scott County | 15.3 yrs | $122,300 | $665 |
| 28 | Giles County | 15.3 yrs | $143,500 | $780 |
| 29 | Grayson County | 15.5 yrs | $132,300 | $712 |
| 30 | Lunenburg County | 15.5 yrs | $145,500 | $780 |
| 31 | Roanoke city | 15.6 yrs | $180,500 | $964 |
| 32 | Sussex County | 15.6 yrs | $178,500 | $952 |
| 33 | Newport News city | 15.8 yrs | $243,300 | $1,285 |
| 34 | Buckingham County | 16.0 yrs | $167,800 | $874 |
| 35 | Halifax County | 16.1 yrs | $148,900 | $769 |
| 36 | Dinwiddie County | 16.5 yrs | $246,100 | $1,242 |
| 37 | Accomack County | 16.5 yrs | $193,100 | $973 |
| 38 | Colonial Heights city | 16.6 yrs | $231,700 | $1,162 |
| 39 | Lynchburg city | 16.9 yrs | $211,800 | $1,043 |
| 40 | Patrick County | 16.9 yrs | $146,500 | $721 |
| 41 | Charles City County | 17.4 yrs | $224,100 | $1,076 |
| 42 | Carroll County | 17.5 yrs | $144,200 | $687 |
| 43 | Greene County | 17.5 yrs | $315,300 | $1,502 |
| 44 | Mecklenburg County | 17.6 yrs | $169,400 | $804 |
| 45 | Charlotte County | 17.6 yrs | $144,000 | $682 |
| 46 | Richmond County | 17.7 yrs | $214,200 | $1,011 |
| 47 | Appomattox County | 17.9 yrs | $189,200 | $883 |
| 48 | Spotsylvania County | 18.0 yrs | $375,000 | $1,733 |
| 49 | Bristol city | 18.1 yrs | $168,700 | $775 |
| 50 | Norfolk city | 18.2 yrs | $271,900 | $1,246 |
| 51 | Chesterfield County | 18.2 yrs | $336,700 | $1,542 |
| 52 | Radford city | 18.3 yrs | $211,700 | $966 |
| 53 | King William County | 18.5 yrs | $276,500 | $1,246 |
| 54 | Suffolk city | 18.5 yrs | $329,600 | $1,484 |
| 55 | Virginia Beach city | 18.5 yrs | $366,300 | $1,649 |
| 56 | Pulaski County | 18.7 yrs | $182,500 | $815 |
| 57 | Southampton County | 18.7 yrs | $208,800 | $930 |
| 58 | New Kent County | 18.7 yrs | $371,500 | $1,653 |
| 59 | Henrico County | 18.9 yrs | $333,600 | $1,474 |
| 60 | Prince Edward County | 18.9 yrs | $203,700 | $898 |
| 61 | Highland County | 19.0 yrs | $195,700 | $859 |
| 62 | Louisa County | 19.0 yrs | $275,600 | $1,208 |
| 63 | Franklin city | 19.0 yrs | $227,200 | $995 |
| 64 | Bland County | 19.2 yrs | $157,100 | $683 |
| 65 | York County | 19.3 yrs | $411,200 | $1,777 |
| 66 | Roanoke County | 19.4 yrs | $267,300 | $1,148 |
| 67 | Campbell County | 19.5 yrs | $199,200 | $853 |
| 68 | Salem city | 19.5 yrs | $244,800 | $1,046 |
| 69 | Amherst County | 19.5 yrs | $197,200 | $842 |
| 70 | Montgomery County | 19.6 yrs | $283,600 | $1,206 |
| 71 | Caroline County | 19.6 yrs | $283,100 | $1,201 |
| 72 | Chesapeake city | 19.6 yrs | $359,100 | $1,523 |
| 73 | Essex County | 19.7 yrs | $228,600 | $967 |
| 74 | Manassas city | 19.7 yrs | $434,700 | $1,835 |
| 75 | Stafford County | 19.9 yrs | $458,800 | $1,925 |
| 76 | Wythe County | 20.0 yrs | $172,100 | $718 |
| 77 | Fluvanna County | 20.0 yrs | $281,700 | $1,173 |
| 78 | Staunton city | 20.1 yrs | $239,300 | $993 |
| 79 | Washington County | 20.2 yrs | $201,800 | $832 |
| 80 | Waynesboro city | 20.3 yrs | $236,600 | $972 |
| 81 | King and Queen County | 20.4 yrs | $240,900 | $982 |
| 82 | Westmoreland County | 20.5 yrs | $244,000 | $991 |
| 83 | Amelia County | 20.6 yrs | $239,700 | $972 |
| 84 | Poquoson city | 20.6 yrs | $403,000 | $1,634 |
| 85 | Harrisonburg city | 20.7 yrs | $278,200 | $1,120 |
| 86 | Hanover County | 20.8 yrs | $372,700 | $1,496 |
| 87 | Rockbridge County | 20.8 yrs | $238,700 | $956 |
| 88 | Richmond city | 20.8 yrs | $328,100 | $1,314 |
| 89 | Bath County | 20.8 yrs | $206,000 | $825 |
| 90 | Prince William County | 20.8 yrs | $500,600 | $2,002 |
| 91 | Winchester city | 20.9 yrs | $325,900 | $1,298 |
| 92 | Gloucester County | 21.1 yrs | $289,200 | $1,144 |
| 93 | Frederick County | 21.1 yrs | $355,000 | $1,402 |
| 94 | Isle of Wight County | 21.2 yrs | $333,600 | $1,313 |
| 95 | Rockingham County | 21.3 yrs | $287,900 | $1,125 |
| 96 | Cumberland County | 21.7 yrs | $220,100 | $847 |
| 97 | Page County | 21.7 yrs | $221,800 | $851 |
| 98 | Floyd County | 21.7 yrs | $215,500 | $826 |
| 99 | Warren County | 21.9 yrs | $315,800 | $1,199 |
| 100 | Augusta County | 22.2 yrs | $281,400 | $1,057 |
| 101 | Culpeper County | 22.7 yrs | $386,400 | $1,417 |
| 102 | Surry County | 22.8 yrs | $235,200 | $858 |
| 103 | Shenandoah County | 22.9 yrs | $265,800 | $968 |
| 104 | King George County | 23.1 yrs | $395,900 | $1,426 |
| 105 | Lexington city | 23.3 yrs | $275,300 | $985 |
| 106 | Franklin County | 23.3 yrs | $222,800 | $797 |
| 107 | Middlesex County | 23.3 yrs | $299,800 | $1,071 |
| 108 | James City County | 23.4 yrs | $419,200 | $1,491 |
| 109 | Botetourt County | 23.6 yrs | $268,900 | $951 |
| 110 | Williamsburg city | 24.1 yrs | $393,200 | $1,361 |
| 111 | Craig County | 24.1 yrs | $210,500 | $728 |
| 112 | Bedford County | 24.1 yrs | $276,600 | $955 |
| 113 | Albemarle County | 24.2 yrs | $471,000 | $1,623 |
| 114 | Orange County | 24.5 yrs | $337,300 | $1,145 |
| 115 | Nelson County | 24.8 yrs | $283,000 | $950 |
| 116 | Loudoun County | 25.2 yrs | $701,000 | $2,317 |
| 117 | Fredericksburg city | 25.3 yrs | $461,500 | $1,521 |
| 118 | Charlottesville city | 25.7 yrs | $448,400 | $1,453 |
| 119 | Goochland County | 25.7 yrs | $483,700 | $1,567 |
| 120 | Fairfax County | 26.1 yrs | $699,700 | $2,230 |
| 121 | Lancaster County | 26.2 yrs | $307,600 | $978 |
| 122 | Mathews County | 26.2 yrs | $348,800 | $1,108 |
| 123 | Madison County | 26.4 yrs | $331,400 | $1,048 |
| 124 | Northumberland County | 26.4 yrs | $333,100 | $1,053 |
| 125 | Fairfax city | 26.6 yrs | $677,400 | $2,122 |
| 126 | Alexandria city | 28.6 yrs | $696,800 | $2,031 |
| 127 | Powhatan County | 28.7 yrs | $381,300 | $1,107 |
| 128 | Fauquier County | 29.0 yrs | $543,700 | $1,561 |
| 129 | Rappahannock County | 29.5 yrs | $490,200 | $1,384 |
| 130 | Northampton County | 29.8 yrs | $279,100 | $780 |
| 131 | Arlington County | 31.7 yrs | $864,800 | $2,275 |
| 132 | Clarke County | 33.0 yrs | $538,900 | $1,360 |
| 133 | Falls Church city | 38.0 yrs | $1,005,400 | $2,205 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Lowest Price-to-Rent Ratios across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in Virginia