Salary vs. Cost of Living in Virginia

Compare take-home pay and living costs across 49 counties and 97 occupations in Virginia.

Counties: 49; VA, listed here
Occupations: 97; with published wages
Median of medians: $58,190; per year, before tax
Population covered: 6,171,124; residents in listed counties

Salary and cost of living across Virginia

We track 97 occupations in 49 counties of Virginia. The middle median salary across all of those county-job combinations is $58,190 a year. Pick a county to see how its jobs pay after taxes and after rent, food and energy.

Housing is the biggest difference between places: a one-bedroom Fair Market Rent runs from $952 a month in Surry County, VA to $2,204 in Fairfax County, VA. Among counties with at least 20 listed occupations, Fairfax County, VA has the highest median-of-medians pay at $66,980. Culpeper County, VA has the largest share of occupations (100%) whose take-home pay covers rent, food, energy and gasoline.

Counties in Virginia, largest first

Showing 1–49 of 49.

Counties in Virginia with pay and rent summaries
County	Population	Jobs listed	Typical median pay	1-bedroom rent	Jobs covering basics
Fairfax County, VA	1,147,837	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Prince William County, VA	488,880	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Virginia Beach city, VA	456,349	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Loudoun County, VA	432,998	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Chesterfield County, VA	377,869	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Henrico County, VA	335,744	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Chesapeake city, VA	252,583	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Arlington County, VA	236,254	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Norfolk city, VA	233,596	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Richmond city, VA	229,359	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Newport News city, VA	184,216	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Stafford County, VA	163,466	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Alexandria city, VA	156,976	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Spotsylvania County, VA	146,603	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Hampton city, VA	137,557	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Hanover County, VA	112,879	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Suffolk city, VA	98,796	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Portsmouth city, VA	97,190	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
James City County, VA	81,013	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Fauquier County, VA	74,577	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
York County, VA	71,005	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Culpeper County, VA	54,397	97	$66,980	$1,299/mo	100%
Prince George County, VA	43,146	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Manassas city, VA	42,976	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Warren County, VA	41,531	97	$66,980	$1,108/mo	100%
Isle of Wight County, VA	39,974	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Gloucester County, VA	39,526	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Petersburg city, VA	33,537	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Powhatan County, VA	31,555	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Fredericksburg city, VA	28,873	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Dinwiddie County, VA	28,191	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Goochland County, VA	26,410	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
New Kent County, VA	25,105	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Fairfax city, VA	25,026	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Hopewell city, VA	22,959	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
King William County, VA	18,593	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Colonial Heights city, VA	18,352	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Manassas Park city, VA	16,798	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Williamsburg city, VA	15,798	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Clarke County, VA	15,216	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Falls Church city, VA	14,710	97	$66,980	$2,204/mo	85%
Amelia County, VA	13,462	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Poquoson city, VA	12,639	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Sussex County, VA	10,765	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Mathews County, VA	8,540	22	$39,090	$1,488/mo	86%
Rappahannock County, VA	7,427	97	$66,980	$1,428/mo	100%
King and Queen County, VA	6,695	15	$40,270	$1,075/mo	100%
Charles City County, VA	6,627	15	$40,270	$1,517/mo	87%
Surry County, VA	6,549	22	$39,090	$952/mo	100%