Housing decision brief
Poquoson city, VA Housing Market
Poquoson city screens as a higher 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.
115th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 119th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$403,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,634/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,932/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
33.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$298/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 97.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.90% effective property-tax rate is 44% above Virginia county median
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- 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 Poquoson 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. | $403,000 | $240,900 | $281,900 | 67% pressure67% above Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,634 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 57% pressure57% above Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,932 | $978 | $1,672 | 98% pressure98% above Virginia county median |
Median household income | $120,919 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 81% favorable81% above Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.90% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 44% pressure44% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 33.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 18% pressure33.00% 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
+$55,559
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$38,119
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Poquoson city is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,634/month representing approximately 16.2% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 33.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Poquoson city pay $1,634/month on average, compared to $1,932/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 15%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $65,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $82,800/year. With a median household income of $120,919, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 33.0% of renter households in Poquoson city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Goochland County where rent averages $1,567/month, Poquoson city is approximately 4% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Kent County, VA | $371,500 | $1,653/mo | Same-state comparison near $371,500 home value and $1,653/mo rent. |
| York County, VA | $411,200 | $1,777/mo | Same-state comparison near $411,200 home value and $1,777/mo rent. |
| Manassas city, VA | $434,700 | $1,835/mo | Same-state comparison near $434,700 home value and $1,835/mo rent. |
| Spotsylvania County, VA | $375,000 | $1,733/mo | Same-state comparison near $375,000 home value and $1,733/mo rent. |
| Goochland County, VA | $483,700 | $1,567/mo | Same-state comparison near $483,700 home value and $1,567/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Poquoson city
Is Poquoson city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Poquoson city?
How much income do you need for housing in Poquoson city?
What should I double-check before moving to Poquoson city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.