Is It Cheap or Expensive to Live in Virginia?

While it may not have ever entered your mind when thinking about moving, Virginia has a lot to offer single folks as well as families.

But you might also be wondering if it is cheap to live in VA or expensive?

There’s much to know and learn about Virginia if you want to consider moving to the place known as the Old Dominion, according to this website.

It adds this is one of the many nicknames for Virginia, along with Mother of Presidents and Mother of States. The nickname comes from the fact that Virginia was the first, and therefore the oldest, of the overseas dominions of the kings and queens of England.

Lots of Diversity

Virginia is also known to be a diverse state offering cultural and historical attractions, and pretty surroundings.

When thinking about a move to Virginia know you’ll be settling in a place with beautiful scenery, nice urban and rural areas, and much more.

As with any state, the cost of living in Virginia can be different depending on which city, town, or county you want to live in.

Moving to Virginia

Located in the southeastern part of the United States Virginia is a Mid-Atlantic state offering residents mountains, beaches, coastal plains, and bay areas.

On the far western side of the state, there are many quaint mountain towns, villages, and authentic cultures.

The Northern part of the state also referred to as “NoVA,” is a different story. This area is made up of DC outskirts and has a different standard of living, as well as being tech-oriented.

Regardless of which area you choose be it a small village or a higher-end suburb, VA has a diverse pool of people who move here.

This is also a state regarded for its world-class healthcare system, Navy presence, and high per-capita income.

Presently, Virginia has around 8.65 million people who reside in the state.

However, before packing up the moving truck here’s some information you might be interested in from ways to get around to the cost of an apartment.

Getting Around in Virginia

There are tons of ways to get around the state thanks to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation runs all the modes of commute in the state. Depending on where and what service you use, fares range and could add up.

More than 69% of the commute in Virginia comes from the urban areas because most of the population resides in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, and Fredericksburg. The services include:

Metro service in Northern Virginia, which is part of DC’s world-class Metrorail system.

Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), which is an urban-suburban bus line serving downtown Richmond.

• ‘TRAFFIX’ agency in Hampton Roads helps implement parking management plans, the formation of carpools, vanpools, telework, and more.
• Also, the Virginia Breeze Bus Lines connect to small cities throughout the Shenandoah Valley.
• VA has public transit services in operation but depending on where you live you may or may not have access to public transit options.
• However, VA has six major Interstate highways: 64,66,77,85,81 and 95. These make it easy to connect residents to the neighboring states of Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
• Airways
• Virginia has 66 public-use airports, nine commercial airports, and 21 regional airports. However, the most extensive airports are:
• Washington Dulles International – Easily accessible from the state’s richest counties (Loudoun and Fairfax) and serves more than 24 million passengers in a year.
• Reagan Washington National – Located next to the Washington D.C. border and most convenient for residents in the Arlington region in NoVA.
• Richmond International – Serves central Virginia and is easier to reach from Richmond.
• Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport – Serves the Hampton roads area.
• Norfolk International – Most convenient for the Hampton Road area and Norfolk.

Railways

Virginia also has 21 Amtrak stations located across cities, coastal towns, and mountainous regions. Through the Amtrak railway line, residents can travel to the Northeast, South, or Midwest sections of the state.

Working in Virginia

Virginia is home to all kinds of industries from high-tech companies and finance to farming, military, the local and federal government. Virginia also has 21 companies that are part of the Fortune 500 list, and 35 companies on the Fortune 1000 list.

While hunting for work in Virginia, many of the higher-paying companies are in and around Loudon, Prince William, Henrico, Chesterfield, Wise, and Suffolk counties. These are all located up in the northern region of the state. Additionally, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and tourism jobs can be found in all areas of the state since Virginia has many vacation sections on its Eastern shore.

Another contributor to the economy here in the US Army headquartered in Virginia that generates annual revenue of $10 billion with 500,000 employees.

Renting

According to reports by Forbes.com, the average median rent of an apartment in Virginia Beach is $1,295 for 1,025 square feet. While the national average is $1,650. Also, the average median household income in Virginia is considered high, so renting is a popular choice. But homes for rent within the $900 to $1,200 range can be found.

In general, Virginia is an expensive state to live in. However, expensive depends on the lifestyle choice you decide or the things you want and need.

As of Aug. 31, 2021, in terms of housing, Zillow suggests reports the average median value of homes in Virginia is $335,198. However, figure depending on where you reside in you could find more reasonable housing prices.

Wages

As of Sept 19, 2021, the average annual pay for the average jobs category in Virginia is $64,607 year, according to ZipRecruiter. This works out to be $31.06 an hour or about $1,242/week or $5,384/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $133,108 and as low as $20,064, most salaries within the average jobs category currently range between $48,447 (25th percentile) to $72,426 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $88,085 annually in Virginia.

The average pay range for an average job varies greatly (as much as $23,979), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the average job market in Virginia is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.

Virginia ranks number 16 out of 50 states nationwide for average job salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for average jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America, according to the website.

Top Cities to Move to In Virginia

Arlington

Arlington is in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River. According to Niche.com, Arlington is ranked as the number one best place to live in America in 2020. Arlington is also home to some of the best academic institutions in the country and the United States Department of Defense. The city is modern and well-kept, but it can be expensive to live here.

Alexandria

The city of Alexandria is also located in the NoVA region and its proximity to Washington D.C. has much influence. It is attractive because of its strong job market, and it has an old town charm. Historic districts, brick-lined streets, excellent neighborhoods can be found here.

Charlottesville

Charlottesville is a terrific small city to call home and The University of Virginia is situated in the heart of this city. The college town feel makes it an attractive place to live for many and Charlottesville housing and cost of living here are known to be quite a bit cheaper.

Richmond

The city of Richmond is the state capital and offers easy access to the mountains as well as the beaches. Many locally owned businesses, good educational systems, and an affordable housing market make it an attractive place to live.

Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach is a lot more than a tourist magnet and has much to offer from its diversity to low crime rate. It is a family-friendly neighborhood and near Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake. VA Beach has plenty of sidewalks, parks, and offers tons of cultural activities.

A Great Place to Call Home

Overall, Virginia has a little bit of everything for everyone it seems. In northern Virginia or NoVA, there are many modern towns like Alexandria and Arlington and it’s close to DC.

On the west, enjoy charming small towns as well as coastal and mountain towns.

Residents of Virginia have various lifestyles to choose from and making Virginia a wonderful place to consider living.

In the end, you might still be asking is it expensive to live in Virginia?

Maybe the information listed here will help from this website that states: “The cost of living in Virginia is 2% higher than the US national average. To live a comfortable lifestyle in the upscale sections a single adult would need to make over 70k annually. If you’re earning 80k or more, you can easily see yourself living bigger than the standard.”

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