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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Virginia Beach pulls it off. And generally speaking, at $90,685 — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — median household income and a 110 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 15% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern acro…
#1 Ranked: Virginia Beach — cost index 110, rent $1,953/mo, income $90,685
Virginia Beach: high income, low cost — a rare combo
6 of 7 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Virginia Beach pulls it off. And generally speaking, at $90,685 — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — median household income and a 110 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 15% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 7 cities in Virginia using 2026 data.
Tax burden isn't just income tax. We combine three layers: state income tax (5.75% in Virginia Beach), combined state+local sales tax (5.77%), and effective property tax (0.75%). At 5.75% state income tax, the real differentiator becomes sales and property tax rates. On a $75,000 salary, the estimated take-home in #1 Virginia Beach is $53,397/year.
A closer look at Virginia Beach: the cost index of 110 breaks down to a Utilities index of 102 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 126 (weakest). Median rent is $1,953/month — 3% above the national median — while household income sits at $90,685, meaning locals spend about 26% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
If you only look at rent, it's perfect. Zoom out and it's complicated. In Virginia Beach, the housing index sits at 126 — above average and worth factoring in.
This isn't what most relocation guides will tell you. Virginia Beach: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Virginia Beach earns above the national median ($90,685 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 110 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it. Year over year, that savings rate is portfolio-grade (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And as a general rule, the difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
Virginia Beach earns above the national median ($90,685 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 110 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it.
Rent in #1-ranked Virginia Beach has increased from $1,869 to $1,953/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Beach | 110 | $1,953 | Details |
| 2 | Chesapeake | 111 | $2,002 | Details |
| 3 | Norfolk | 101 | $1,696 | Details |
| 4 | Newport News | 99 | $1,596 | Details |
| 5 | Alexandria | 126 | $2,223 | Details |
| 6 | Hampton | 98 | $1,587 | Details |
| 7 | Richmond | 102 | $1,574 | Details |
453,649 residents · Virginia
What does daily life actually cost in Virginia Beach? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. It lines up with what you'd expect. On the category level, Utilities (index 102) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 126) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $90,685 — and that's before you even look at taxes — and homes at $418,508 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
253,886 residents · Virginia
Chesapeake comes in at #2. Fairly typical for a city this size. Rent is $2,002 a month. Household income is $94,189. The cost of living index is 111. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
230,930 residents · Virginia
Why Norfolk ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 101 on the cost index, residents save roughly 11% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,696/month while the median household pulls in $64,017/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 93, though Healthcare (104) lags behind. Home prices average $302,742 — $164,628 below the national median.
183,118 residents · Virginia
Newport News earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 99 cost index sits 13 points below the national baseline, and the $66,718 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $287,123 — $180,247 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 91, while Healthcare trails at 102.
155,230 residents · Virginia
Alexandria is one of the cheaper options here. And as far as the data shows, rent is $2,223/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 126. Income sits at $113,638. That alone makes it worth considering.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Virginia Beach | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
2Chesapeake | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
3Norfolk | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
4Newport News | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
5Alexandria | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
6Hampton | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
7Richmond | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $63,530 |
Virginia Beach ranks #1 in Virginia for this analysis with a cost index of 110 and median income of $90,685.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Virginia Beach (ranked #1) has a cost index of 110 and rent of $1,953/mo, while Richmond (ranked #7) has a cost index of 102 and rent of $1,574/mo — a 8-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Virginia Beach is $1,953/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $58 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Virginia Beach is $418,508, which is 4.6× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Virginia has a 5.75% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 5.77%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.75%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.