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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 $75K salary, 4 cities (57%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting. We ran the numbers on 7 cities in Virginia using 2026 census, rent, and sal…
#1 Ranked: Richmond — cost index 92, rent $1,574/mo, income $62,671
4 of 7 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
4 of 7 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | $1,574 | 25% | 92 | Details |
| 2 | Hampton | $1,587 | 25% | 93 | Details |
| 3 | Newport News | $1,596 | 26% | 93 | Details |
| 4 | Norfolk | $1,696 | 27% | 99 | Details |
| 5 | Virginia Beach | $1,953 | 31% | 114 | Details |
| 6 | Chesapeake | $2,002 | 32% | 117 | Details |
| 7 | Alexandria | $2,223 | 36% | 130 | Details |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (57%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting. 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.
A closer look at Richmond: the cost index of 92 breaks down to a Housing index of 92 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 98 (weakest). Median rent is $1,574/month — 17% below the national median — while household income sits at $62,671, meaning locals spend about 30% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Richmond ($1,574/mo, 25%), Hampton ($1,587/mo, 25%), Newport News ($1,596/mo, 26%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $53,397 to $53,397/year across these top picks.
The top-line stat is good. The deeper story is better. 4 of 7 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (57%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Now, stack that against what people actually earn here: State context matters: Virginia's 7 cities average a 105 cost index with $1,804/month median rent and $79,954 household income. DC suburbs drive costs; the rest stays affordable. But it's not #1 for the reason you might think (that's pre-tax, of course).
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. 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.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (57%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting.
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
Dive into Richmond's numbers: cost index 92 — we had to double-check this one — (19 points below national average), rent $1,574/month, income $62,671, and a home price of $361,133. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 92, while Healthcare runs 98. With 114,106 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
137,098 residents · Virginia
The #2 spot goes to Hampton, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,587/month — saving renters $3,696 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 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
183,118 residents · Virginia
A closer look at Newport News: the cost index of 93 breaks down to a Housing index of 93 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 99 (weakest). And broadly, median rent is $1,596/month — 16% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,718, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
230,930 residents · Virginia
Norfolk earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 99 cost index sits 12 points below the national baseline, and the $64,017 — not a number you see very often, by the way — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. 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. This is the kind of number that should get your attention. A real contender.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Richmond | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
2Hampton | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
3Newport News | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
4Norfolk | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
5Virginia Beach | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
6Chesapeake | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
7Alexandria | 5.75% | 5.77% | 0.75% | $53,397 |
We model what a $75K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Richmond ranks #1 in Virginia for this analysis with a cost index of 92 and median income of $62,671.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Richmond, rent would consume about 25% 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 $75K in Richmond is approximately $53,397/year ($4,450/month). After median rent of $1,574/month, you'd have roughly $34,509/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.