Housing decision brief
Radford city, VA Housing Market
Radford city screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
49th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 53rd lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$211,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$966/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$867/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
35.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$99/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$211,700 median home value is 12% below Virginia county median
Lower rent
$966/mo is 7% below Virginia county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $99/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 97.4 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$52,791 median income is 21% below Virginia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.70% effective property-tax rate is 12% 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
- 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 Radford 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. | $211,700 | $240,900 | $281,900 | 12% favorable12% below Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $966 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 7% favorable7% below Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $867 | $978 | $1,672 | 11% favorable11% below Virginia county median |
Median household income | $52,791 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 21% pressure21% below Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.70% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 12% pressure12% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 35.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 25% pressure35.00% 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
+$14,151
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,634
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Radford city is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $966/month representing approximately 22.0% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 35.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Radford city is $966/month, while owner costs run $867/month. Owning saves approximately $99/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,640/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,157/year. With a median household income of $52,791, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 35.0% of renter households in Radford city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Radford city sits 8% more expensive than Prince Edward County ($898/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, VA | $228,600 | $967/mo | Same-state comparison near $228,600 home value and $967/mo rent. |
| Prince Edward County, VA | $203,700 | $898/mo | Same-state comparison near $203,700 home value and $898/mo rent. |
| Roanoke city, VA | $180,500 | $964/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,500 home value and $964/mo rent. |
| Waynesboro city, VA | $236,600 | $972/mo | Same-state comparison near $236,600 home value and $972/mo rent. |
| Accomack County, VA | $193,100 | $973/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,100 home value and $973/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Radford city
Is Radford city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Radford city?
How much income do you need for housing in Radford city?
What should I double-check before moving to Radford city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.