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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 7 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 7 cities in Virginia using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Richm…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | $1,574 | 19% | 92 | Details |
| 2 | Hampton | $1,587 | 19% | 93 | Details |
| 3 | Newport News | $1,596 | 19% | 93 | Details |
| 4 | Norfolk | $1,696 | 20% | 99 | Details |
| 5 | Virginia Beach | $1,953 | 23% | 114 | Details |
| 6 | Chesapeake | $2,002 | 24% | 117 | Details |
| 7 | Alexandria | $2,223 | 27% | 130 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Richmond — cost index 92, rent $1,574/mo, income $62,671
7 of 7 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
7 of 7 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 7 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 7 cities in Virginia using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Richmond comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis. Below the radar, but not for long.
There's a catch worth understanding. 7 of 7 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 7 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. Over thirty years of homeownership, the property tax savings alone are staggering.
Richmond comes in at #1. Rent is $1,574 a month. Household income is $62,671. The cost of living index is 92. It lines up with what you'd expect.
On a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Richmond ($1,574/mo, 19%), Hampton ($1,587/mo, 19%), Newport News ($1,596/mo, 19%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $69,547 to $69,547/year across these top picks.
The broader context shifts things: Across Virginia, the average cost of living index is 105 — 6 points below the national median. Known for DC suburbs drive costs; the rest stays affordable, the state offers 7 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,804/month. That's $91 less than the national average of $1,895. That's a strong position by any measure.
Bottom line: Richmond leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Richmond | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
2Hampton | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
3Newport News | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
4Norfolk | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
5Virginia Beach | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
6Chesapeake | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
7Alexandria | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $69,547 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 7 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
Rent in #1-ranked Richmond has increased from $1,522 to $1,574/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
114,106 residents · Virginia
The #1 spot goes to Richmond, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,574/month — saving renters $3,852 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 92, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 98. The 30% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (that's pre-tax, of course).
137,098 residents · Virginia
Hampton earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 93 cost index sits 18 points below the national baseline, and the $67,758 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $272,161 — $195,209 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 93, while Healthcare trails at 99.
183,118 residents · Virginia
The #3 spot goes to Newport News, and the breakdown explains why. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. Renters here pay $1,596/month — saving renters $3,588 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 93, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. A 29% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
230,930 residents · Virginia
Norfolk earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And as a general rule, the 99 cost index sits 12 points below the national baseline, and the $64,017 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. That's a reasonable number. Homes list at $302,742 — $164,628 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 99, while Healthcare trails at 100.
453,649 residents · Virginia
Here's Virginia Beach by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 114. Rent: $1,953/month. Income: $90,685/year. Home price: $418,508. Population: 453,649. The strongest category is Healthcare at 103; the most expensive is Housing at 114. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $696 more per year vs. the national median. In the context of rising national rents, this stability is worth noting (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
Richmond ranks #1 in Virginia for this analysis with a cost index of 92 and median income of $62,671.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Richmond, rent would consume about 19% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
Richmond (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,574/mo, while Alexandria (ranked #7) has a cost index of 130 and rent of $2,223/mo — a 38-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 Richmond is $1,574/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $321 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.75% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Richmond is approximately $69,547/year ($5,796/month). After median rent of $1,574/month, you'd have roughly $50,659/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Richmond is $361,133, which is 5.8× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. 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.