Housing decision brief
Hopewell city, VA Housing Market
Hopewell city screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher 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.
30th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 76th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$165,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,085/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,009/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
37.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$76/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$165,100 median home value is 31% below Virginia county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $76/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 82.8 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$48,681 median income is 27% below Virginia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.97% effective property-tax rate is 55% above Virginia county median
Health context
Health score is 26.3 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Hopewell city 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. | $165,100 | $240,900 | $281,900 | 31% favorable31% below Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,085 | $1,043 | $1,163 | Near state median4% above Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,009 | $978 | $1,672 | Near state median3% above Virginia county median |
Median household income | $48,681 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 27% pressure27% below Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.97% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 55% pressure55% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 37.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 32% pressure37.00% 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
+$5,281
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$5,438
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Hopewell city, the market is moderately affordable. Expect to pay around $1,085/month in gross rent, with 37.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $1,085/month rent versus $1,009/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $76/month cheaper , a 7% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $43,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $43,243/year. With a median household income of $48,681, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 37.0% of renter households in Hopewell city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Virginia, Hopewell city is less affordable than Gloucester County by roughly 5% ($1,085/mo vs $1,144/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg city, VA | $157,900 | $1,132/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,900 home value and $1,132/mo rent. |
| Buena Vista city, VA | $153,500 | $1,067/mo | Same-state comparison near $153,500 home value and $1,067/mo rent. |
| Emporia city, VA | $131,100 | $1,060/mo | Same-state comparison near $131,100 home value and $1,060/mo rent. |
| Roanoke city, VA | $180,500 | $964/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,500 home value and $964/mo rent. |
| Greensville County, VA | $159,200 | $960/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,200 home value and $960/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hopewell city
Is Hopewell city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hopewell city?
How much income do you need for housing in Hopewell city?
What should I double-check before moving to Hopewell city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.