Housing decision brief
Waynesboro city, VA Housing Market
Waynesboro 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.
63rd lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 57th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$236,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$972/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,181/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$209/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
$236,600 median home value is 2% below Virginia county median
Lower rent
$972/mo is 7% below Virginia county median
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 89.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$56,364 median income is 16% below Virginia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.67% effective property-tax rate is 6% 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
- 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 Waynesboro 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. | $236,600 | $240,900 | $281,900 | Near state median2% below Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $972 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 7% favorable7% below Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,181 | $978 | $1,672 | 21% pressure21% above Virginia county median |
Median household income | $56,364 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 16% pressure16% below Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.67% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 6% pressure6% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median29.00% 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
+$17,484
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$5,750
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 Waynesboro city, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $972/month in gross rent, with 29.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Waynesboro city is $972/month, while owner costs run $1,181/month. Renting saves approximately $209/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $50,614/year. With a median household income of $56,364, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Waynesboro city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lynchburg city where rent averages $1,043/month, Waynesboro city is approximately 7% less 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, VA | $228,600 | $967/mo | Same-state comparison near $228,600 home value and $967/mo rent. |
| Westmoreland County, VA | $244,000 | $991/mo | Same-state comparison near $244,000 home value and $991/mo rent. |
| Staunton city, VA | $239,300 | $993/mo | Same-state comparison near $239,300 home value and $993/mo rent. |
| Rockbridge County, VA | $238,700 | $956/mo | Same-state comparison near $238,700 home value and $956/mo rent. |
| Amelia County, VA | $239,700 | $972/mo | Same-state comparison near $239,700 home value and $972/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Waynesboro city
Is Waynesboro city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Waynesboro city?
How much income do you need for housing in Waynesboro city?
What should I double-check before moving to Waynesboro city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.