Housing affordability index in Virginia

Housing affordability index in Virginia: puts one number on the housing question: 25% of the state's median household income goes to principal and interest on a median-priced home at today's rate.

30-year fixed rate used: 6.76% (observed 2026-09-10, FRED MORTGAGE30US).

Share of income

25%

principal + interest

Monthly payment

$1,992

on a $383,517 home

Median income

$95,667

households, ACS 5-year

Housing affordability index in Virginia: counties ranked, least affordable first
RankCountyShare of incomeMonthly P&I
1Arlington County37.8%$4,328
2Charlottesville city37%$2,069
3Alexandria city36.1%$3,406
4Williamsburg city36%$2,003
5Falls Church city35.6%$4,875
6Fredericksburg city32.7%$2,277
7Rappahannock County32.2%$2,646
8Richmond city32.2%$1,601
9Fairfax city31.5%$3,374
10Winchester city29.9%$1,558
11Northumberland County29.3%$1,577
12Harrisonburg city29.3%$1,370
13Lancaster County29.1%$1,518
14Clarke County28.8%$2,579
15Albemarle County28.7%$2,338
16Fairfax County28.6%$3,464
17Mathews County28.1%$1,849
18Northampton County28.1%$1,279
19Waynesboro city26.9%$1,178
20Nelson County26.8%$1,429
21Westmoreland County26.8%$1,267
22Madison County26%$1,618
23Middlesex County26%$1,501
24Norfolk city26%$1,320
25Essex County25.8%$1,127
26Montgomery County25.7%$1,399
27Goochland County25.6%$2,252
28Fauquier County25.4%$2,603
29Manassas Park city25.2%$1,925
30Radford city25%$1,063
31Culpeper County24.9%$1,920
32Shenandoah County24.8%$1,286
33James City County24.6%$2,061
34Virginia Beach city24.5%$1,785
35Loudoun County24%$3,413
36Prince William County23.9%$2,452
37Henrico County23.4%$1,609
38Rockbridge County23.4%$1,206
39Portsmouth city23.3%$1,108
40Warren County23.1%$1,524
41Amelia County23%$1,214
42Cumberland County23%$1,083
43York County23%$2,011
44Newport News city23%$1,212
45Staunton city22.9%$1,140
46Chesapeake city22.8%$1,763
47Rockingham County22.7%$1,386
48Orange County22.6%$1,641
49Frederick County22.5%$1,733
50King George County22.5%$1,934
51Floyd County22.4%$1,067
52Isle of Wight County22.3%$1,702
53Suffolk city22.3%$1,633
54Manassas city22.2%$2,046
55Greene County22.1%$1,495
56Poquoson city22.1%$2,112
57Bedford County22%$1,371
58Augusta County21.9%$1,387
59Accomack County21.8%$958
60Louisa County21.7%$1,385
61Page County21.7%$1,028
62Richmond County21.7%$1,135
63Lynchburg city21.7%$1,018
64Franklin city21.4%$1,028
65Bristol city21.3%$805
66Hampton city21.3%$1,142
67Botetourt County21.2%$1,372
68Salem city21.1%$1,205
69Prince Edward County21%$1,005
70Stafford County21%$2,243
71Surry County21%$1,202
72Spotsylvania County20.8%$1,817
73Bath County20.7%$960
74Hanover County20.7%$1,807
75Powhatan County20.6%$1,852
76Gloucester County20.4%$1,426
77Chesterfield County20%$1,592
78Highland County19.9%$948
79King William County19.8%$1,310
80Prince George County19.6%$1,310
81Petersburg city19.6%$765
82Roanoke city19.6%$841
83Franklin County19.5%$1,079
84New Kent County19.5%$1,840
85Emporia city19.5%$672
86Campbell County19.3%$951
87Mecklenburg County19.2%$820
88Washington County19.1%$940
89Colonial Heights city19.1%$1,150
90Pulaski County19%$944
91Buena Vista city19%$773
92Caroline County18.9%$1,316
93Charles City County18.9%$1,033
94King and Queen County18.9%$1,104
95Roanoke County18.9%$1,277
96Hopewell city18.7%$787
97Fluvanna County18.6%$1,407
98Grayson County18.6%$671
99Appomattox County18.5%$925
100Southampton County18.4%$1,037
101Wythe County18.2%$816
102Dinwiddie County18.1%$1,162
103Carroll County17.7%$723
104Amherst County17.6%$943
105Greensville County17.6%$761
106Norton city17.6%$541
107Craig County17.4%$959
108Patrick County17.4%$713
109Pittsylvania County17.1%$748
110Scott County17.1%$635
111Halifax County16.9%$692
112Nottoway County16.9%$880
113Buckingham County16.7%$835
114Smyth County16.7%$626
115Charlotte County16.6%$712
116Lunenburg County16%$726
117Henry County15.9%$581
118Sussex County15.9%$784
119Russell County15.8%$582
120Danville city15.3%$530
121Galax city15.3%$568
122Brunswick County15%$660
123Tazewell County15%$583
124Lexington city15%$1,167
125Alleghany County14.7%$642
126Giles County14.3%$737
127Lee County14.3%$498
128Wise County14.2%$561
129Bland County13.8%$688
130Dickenson County13.8%$463
131Buchanan County13.4%$441
132Martinsville city13.2%$430
133Covington city10.9%$416

Methodology

Every county figure for Virginia uses the county's own median home value and median household income from the Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, a 20% deposit, and the current 30-year fixed rate from FRED (MORTGAGE30US) amortised over 30 years.

The share shown is annualised principal and interest divided by median household income. Property tax, insurance and HOA dues are excluded so the comparison between counties stays like-for-like.

Counties without both a published home value and a published income are left out entirely rather than filled with an estimate, so the table is shorter than the county list in some states.

Sources: FRED series MORTGAGE30US, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2022.