Housing decision brief
Dinwiddie County, VA Housing Market
Dinwiddie County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
71st lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 91st lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$246,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,242/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,238/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
22.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$4/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
22.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $4/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 80.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Dinwiddie County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $246,100 | $240,900 | $281,900 | Near state median2% above Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,242 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 19% pressure19% above Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,238 | $978 | $1,672 | 27% pressure27% above Virginia county median |
Median household income | $83,898 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 26% favorable26% above Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.60% | 0.63% | 1.02% | Near state median4% below Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 22.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 21% favorable22.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$34,218
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,841
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Dinwiddie County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,242/month , about 17.8% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Dinwiddie County pay $1,242/month on average, compared to $1,238/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 0%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $49,680/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $53,057/year. With a median household income of $83,898, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Dinwiddie County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Dinwiddie County sits 4% less expensive than Winchester city ($1,298/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| King William County, VA | $276,500 | $1,246/mo | Same-state comparison near $276,500 home value and $1,246/mo rent. |
| Roanoke County, VA | $267,300 | $1,148/mo | Same-state comparison near $267,300 home value and $1,148/mo rent. |
| Louisa County, VA | $275,600 | $1,208/mo | Same-state comparison near $275,600 home value and $1,208/mo rent. |
| Caroline County, VA | $283,100 | $1,201/mo | Same-state comparison near $283,100 home value and $1,201/mo rent. |
| Colonial Heights city, VA | $231,700 | $1,162/mo | Same-state comparison near $231,700 home value and $1,162/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Dinwiddie County
Is Dinwiddie County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Dinwiddie County?
How much income do you need for housing in Dinwiddie County?
What should I double-check before moving to Dinwiddie County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.