Housing decision brief
Virginia Beach city, VA Housing Market
Virginia Beach 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.
106th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 120th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$366,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,649/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,785/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
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$136/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
No signal
No strong positive housing signal was available in the current dataset.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.80% effective property-tax rate is 28% 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
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 Virginia Beach 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. | $366,300 | $240,900 | $281,900 | 52% pressure52% above Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,649 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 58% pressure58% above Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,785 | $978 | $1,672 | 83% pressure83% above Virginia county median |
Median household income | $90,685 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 36% favorable36% above Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.80% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 28% pressure28% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 11% pressure31.00% 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
+$24,725
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$14,185
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 Virginia Beach city, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,649/month in gross rent, with 31.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Virginia Beach city pay $1,649/month on average, compared to $1,785/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 8%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $65,960/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $76,500/year. With a median household income of $90,685, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Virginia Beach city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Goochland County where rent averages $1,567/month, Virginia Beach city is approximately 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake city, VA | $359,100 | $1,523/mo | Same-state comparison near $359,100 home value and $1,523/mo rent. |
| Suffolk city, VA | $329,600 | $1,484/mo | Same-state comparison near $329,600 home value and $1,484/mo rent. |
| Chesterfield County, VA | $336,700 | $1,542/mo | Same-state comparison near $336,700 home value and $1,542/mo rent. |
| Frederick County, VA | $355,000 | $1,402/mo | Same-state comparison near $355,000 home value and $1,402/mo rent. |
| Henrico County, VA | $333,600 | $1,474/mo | Same-state comparison near $333,600 home value and $1,474/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Virginia Beach city
Is Virginia Beach city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Virginia Beach city?
How much income do you need for housing in Virginia Beach city?
What should I double-check before moving to Virginia Beach city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.