Housing decision brief
Southampton County, VA Housing Market
Southampton County 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.
47th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 45th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$208,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$930/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$976/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$46/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$208,800 median home value is 13% below Virginia county median
Lower rent
$930/mo is 11% below Virginia county median
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.66% effective property-tax rate is 5% above Virginia county median
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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Southampton 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. | $208,800 | $240,900 | $281,900 | 13% favorable13% below Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $930 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 11% favorable11% below Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $976 | $978 | $1,672 | Near state medianAt the Virginia county median |
Median household income | $68,465 | $66,718 | $74,755 | Near state median3% above Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.66% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 5% pressure5% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 7% pressure30.00% 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
+$31,265
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,636
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Southampton County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $930/month representing approximately 16.3% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Southampton County pay $930/month on average, compared to $976/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 5%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $37,200/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,829/year. With a median household income of $68,465, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Southampton County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Virginia, Southampton County is less affordable than King and Queen County by roughly 5% ($930/mo vs $982/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County, VA | $214,200 | $1,011/mo | Same-state comparison near $214,200 home value and $1,011/mo rent. |
| Amherst County, VA | $197,200 | $842/mo | Same-state comparison near $197,200 home value and $842/mo rent. |
| Franklin city, VA | $227,200 | $995/mo | Same-state comparison near $227,200 home value and $995/mo rent. |
| Amelia County, VA | $239,700 | $972/mo | Same-state comparison near $239,700 home value and $972/mo rent. |
| Franklin County, VA | $222,800 | $797/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,800 home value and $797/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Southampton County
Is Southampton County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Southampton County?
How much income do you need for housing in Southampton County?
What should I double-check before moving to Southampton County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.