Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning in Virginia
The widest gaps between median rent and the full monthly cost of owning the median home. A large gap does not automatically mean renting is the better decision, because rent buys no equity and is not fixed for thirty years, but it does show where the market prices ownership at a steep premium.
Where does yours land?
Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.
Virginia ranked
| # | County | Monthly saved by renting | Median rent | Monthly to own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falls Church city | $5,330 | $2,205 | $7,535 |
| 2 | Arlington County | $4,172 | $2,275 | $6,447 |
| 3 | Alexandria city | $3,263 | $2,031 | $5,294 |
| 4 | Fairfax County | $3,099 | $2,230 | $5,329 |
| 5 | Fairfax city | $3,007 | $2,122 | $5,129 |
| 6 | Loudoun County | $2,946 | $2,317 | $5,263 |
| 7 | Clarke County | $2,578 | $1,360 | $3,938 |
| 8 | Fauquier County | $2,526 | $1,561 | $4,087 |
| 9 | Rappahannock County | $2,244 | $1,384 | $3,628 |
| 10 | Goochland County | $1,988 | $1,567 | $3,555 |
| 11 | Charlottesville city | $1,978 | $1,453 | $3,431 |
| 12 | Albemarle County | $1,939 | $1,623 | $3,562 |
| 13 | Fredericksburg city | $1,928 | $1,521 | $3,449 |
| 14 | Prince William County | $1,869 | $2,002 | $3,871 |
| 15 | Powhatan County | $1,791 | $1,107 | $2,898 |
| 16 | James City County | $1,681 | $1,491 | $3,172 |
| 17 | Manassas city | $1,601 | $1,835 | $3,436 |
| 18 | Williamsburg city | $1,600 | $1,361 | $2,961 |
| 19 | King George County | $1,549 | $1,426 | $2,975 |
| 20 | Stafford County | $1,543 | $1,925 | $3,468 |
| 21 | Poquoson city | $1,505 | $1,634 | $3,139 |
| 22 | Mathews County | $1,503 | $1,108 | $2,611 |
| 23 | Madison County | $1,492 | $1,048 | $2,540 |
| 24 | Culpeper County | $1,488 | $1,417 | $2,905 |
| 25 | Northumberland County | $1,467 | $1,053 | $2,520 |
| 26 | Orange County | $1,439 | $1,145 | $2,584 |
| 27 | Northampton County | $1,401 | $780 | $2,181 |
| 28 | Lancaster County | $1,371 | $978 | $2,349 |
| 29 | Hanover County | $1,354 | $1,496 | $2,850 |
| 30 | York County | $1,334 | $1,777 | $3,111 |
| 31 | Richmond city | $1,277 | $1,314 | $2,591 |
| 32 | Isle of Wight County | $1,277 | $1,313 | $2,590 |
| 33 | Frederick County | $1,276 | $1,402 | $2,678 |
| 34 | Chesapeake city | $1,276 | $1,523 | $2,799 |
| 35 | Winchester city | $1,251 | $1,298 | $2,549 |
| 36 | Middlesex County | $1,243 | $1,071 | $2,314 |
| 37 | Nelson County | $1,242 | $950 | $2,192 |
| 38 | Warren County | $1,231 | $1,199 | $2,430 |
| 39 | Lexington city | $1,229 | $985 | $2,214 |
| 40 | Virginia Beach city | $1,195 | $1,649 | $2,844 |
| 41 | New Kent County | $1,191 | $1,653 | $2,844 |
| 42 | Bedford County | $1,175 | $955 | $2,130 |
| 43 | Botetourt County | $1,171 | $951 | $2,122 |
| 44 | Suffolk city | $1,136 | $1,484 | $2,620 |
| 45 | Henrico County | $1,117 | $1,474 | $2,591 |
| 46 | Augusta County | $1,113 | $1,057 | $2,170 |
| 47 | Spotsylvania County | $1,111 | $1,733 | $2,844 |
| 48 | Shenandoah County | $1,108 | $968 | $2,076 |
| 49 | Gloucester County | $1,104 | $1,144 | $2,248 |
| 50 | Rockingham County | $1,099 | $1,125 | $2,224 |
| 51 | Harrisonburg city | $1,096 | $1,120 | $2,216 |
| 52 | Chesterfield County | $1,088 | $1,542 | $2,630 |
| 53 | Montgomery County | $1,044 | $1,206 | $2,250 |
| 54 | Fluvanna County | $1,037 | $1,173 | $2,210 |
| 55 | Surry County | $1,023 | $858 | $1,881 |
| 56 | Roanoke County | $1,011 | $1,148 | $2,159 |
| 57 | Caroline County | $997 | $1,201 | $2,198 |
| 58 | Franklin County | $981 | $797 | $1,778 |
| 59 | Norfolk city | $976 | $1,246 | $2,222 |
| 60 | Salem city | $960 | $1,046 | $2,006 |
| 61 | Louisa County | $958 | $1,208 | $2,166 |
| 62 | Craig County | $952 | $728 | $1,680 |
| 63 | Westmoreland County | $949 | $991 | $1,940 |
| 64 | Page County | $946 | $851 | $1,797 |
| 65 | Rockbridge County | $944 | $956 | $1,900 |
| 66 | Greene County | $938 | $1,502 | $2,440 |
| 67 | Staunton city | $933 | $993 | $1,926 |
| 68 | Cumberland County | $931 | $847 | $1,778 |
| 69 | Waynesboro city | $927 | $972 | $1,899 |
| 70 | King William County | $922 | $1,246 | $2,168 |
| 71 | King and Queen County | $918 | $982 | $1,900 |
| 72 | Amelia County | $902 | $972 | $1,874 |
| 73 | Floyd County | $900 | $826 | $1,726 |
| 74 | Manassas Park city | $881 | $2,175 | $3,056 |
| 75 | Essex County | $859 | $967 | $1,826 |
| 76 | Franklin city | $852 | $995 | $1,847 |
| 77 | Bath County | $816 | $825 | $1,641 |
| 78 | Washington County | $799 | $832 | $1,631 |
| 79 | Southampton County | $774 | $930 | $1,704 |
| 80 | Radford city | $766 | $966 | $1,732 |
| 81 | Amherst County | $756 | $842 | $1,598 |
| 82 | Colonial Heights city | $751 | $1,162 | $1,913 |
| 83 | Campbell County | $751 | $853 | $1,604 |
| 84 | Highland County | $738 | $859 | $1,597 |
| 85 | Newport News city | $734 | $1,285 | $2,019 |
| 86 | Prince Edward County | $727 | $898 | $1,625 |
| 87 | Charles City County | $724 | $1,076 | $1,800 |
| 88 | Lynchburg city | $713 | $1,043 | $1,756 |
| 89 | Richmond County | $712 | $1,011 | $1,723 |
| 90 | Dinwiddie County | $710 | $1,242 | $1,952 |
| 91 | Wythe County | $706 | $718 | $1,424 |
| 92 | Pulaski County | $703 | $815 | $1,518 |
| 93 | Bristol city | $665 | $775 | $1,440 |
| 94 | Appomattox County | $664 | $883 | $1,547 |
| 95 | Portsmouth city | $660 | $1,266 | $1,926 |
| 96 | Bland County | $647 | $683 | $1,330 |
| 97 | Mecklenburg County | $601 | $804 | $1,405 |
| 98 | Roanoke city | $596 | $964 | $1,560 |
| 99 | Accomack County | $596 | $973 | $1,569 |
| 100 | Hampton city | $594 | $1,346 | $1,940 |
| 101 | Prince George County | $583 | $1,563 | $2,146 |
| 102 | Carroll County | $559 | $687 | $1,246 |
| 103 | Charlotte County | $553 | $682 | $1,235 |
| 104 | Patrick County | $539 | $721 | $1,260 |
| 105 | Buckingham County | $525 | $874 | $1,399 |
| 106 | Sussex County | $523 | $952 | $1,475 |
| 107 | Halifax County | $497 | $769 | $1,266 |
| 108 | Giles County | $466 | $780 | $1,246 |
| 109 | Nottoway County | $457 | $1,009 | $1,466 |
| 110 | Lunenburg County | $456 | $780 | $1,236 |
| 111 | Grayson County | $455 | $712 | $1,167 |
| 112 | Galax city | $451 | $692 | $1,143 |
| 113 | Pittsylvania County | $451 | $856 | $1,307 |
| 114 | Scott County | $438 | $665 | $1,103 |
| 115 | Smyth County | $428 | $692 | $1,120 |
| 116 | Greensville County | $389 | $960 | $1,349 |
| 117 | Russell County | $388 | $682 | $1,070 |
| 118 | Henry County | $366 | $705 | $1,071 |
| 119 | Hopewell city | $357 | $1,085 | $1,442 |
| 120 | Alleghany County | $344 | $774 | $1,118 |
| 121 | Tazewell County | $316 | $738 | $1,054 |
| 122 | Brunswick County | $297 | $864 | $1,161 |
| 123 | Norton city | $291 | $670 | $961 |
| 124 | Buena Vista city | $288 | $1,067 | $1,355 |
| 125 | Wise County | $282 | $770 | $1,052 |
| 126 | Petersburg city | $251 | $1,132 | $1,383 |
| 127 | Danville city | $210 | $808 | $1,018 |
| 128 | Dickenson County | $207 | $733 | $940 |
| 129 | Lee County | $206 | $725 | $931 |
| 130 | Buchanan County | $157 | $712 | $869 |
| 131 | Martinsville city | $121 | $784 | $905 |
| 132 | Emporia city | $113 | $1,060 | $1,173 |
| 133 | Covington city | $-6 | $822 | $816 |
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
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in Virginia