These Are The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Virginia For 2018

Everyone wants a home that mixes affordability with comfort and Virginia does this very well. Families love the Old Dominion’s beaches, midlands, and mountains as tourists before moving here and calling it home.

But before you decide to relocate, you have to do some research into the exact cost of living around the state — and that’s how we’re going to help you.

These are the places in Virginia that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.

After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Virginia for 2018:

1. Alexandria (Photos | Homes For Sale)
2. Fredericksburg (Photos | Homes For Sale)
3. Charlottesville (Photos | Homes For Sale)
4. Manassas (Photos | Homes For Sale)
5. Purcellville (Photos | Homes For Sale)
6. Belle Haven (Photos | Homes For Sale)
7. Poquoson (Photos | Homes For Sale)
8. Dumfries (Photos | Homes For Sale)
9. Warrenton (Photos | Homes For Sale)
10. Virginia Beach (Photos | Homes For Sale)

So hopefully Martinsville (the cheapest place to live in Virginia) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.

And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out the best places to live in Virginia or the cheapest.

1. Alexandria

Population: 140,337
Services: 98
Groceries: 112
Health Care: 94
Housing: 232
Transportation: 121
Utilities: 98
More on Alexandria: Homes For Sale | Data
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,966, and in 2016, the population was estimated to be 155,810. Located along the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 7 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.

2. Fredericksburg

Population: 24,932
Services: 98
Groceries: 112
Health Care: 94
Housing: 161
Transportation: 121
Utilities: 98
More on Fredericksburg: Homes For Sale | Data
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Eastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,286, up from 19,279 at the 2000 census. The city population was estimated at 28,118 in 2015. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg with neighboring Spotsylvania County for statistical purposes.

3. Charlottesville

Population: 43,223
Services: 104
Groceries: 98
Health Care: 105
Housing: 144
Transportation: 98
Utilities: 98
More on Charlottesville: Homes For Sale | Data
Charlottesville, colloquially known as Cville by locals, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2016, an estimated 46,912 people lived within the city limits. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. This means a Charlottesville resident will list the City of Charlottesville as both their county and city on official paperwork. It is named after the British Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Charlottesville with the County of Albemarle for statistical purposes, bringing its steadily growing population to approximately 150,000. Charlottesville is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area, which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson counties.

4. Manassas

Population: 37,943
Services: 98
Groceries: 112
Health Care: 94
Housing: 139
Transportation: 121
Utilities: 98
More on Manassas: Homes For Sale | Data
Manassas is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 37,821. The city borders Prince William County, the independent city of Manassas Park, and Fairfax County. The Bureau of Economic Analysis includes both Manassas and Manassas Park with Prince William County for statistical purposes.

5. Purcellville

Population: 7,754
Services: 108
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 197
Transportation: 94
Utilities: 94
More on Purcellville: Homes For Sale | Data
Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate. Purcellville is the major population center for western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today, many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.

6. Belle Haven

Population: 6,808
Services: 104
Groceries: 91
Health Care: 109
Housing: 171
Transportation: 104
Utilities: 85
More on Belle Haven: Homes For Sale | Data

7. Poquoson

Population: 12,110
Services: 104
Groceries: 91
Health Care: 109
Housing: 163
Transportation: 104
Utilities: 85
More on Poquoson: Homes For Sale | Data
Poquoson is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,150. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Poquoson with surrounding York County for statistical purposes.

8. Dumfries

Population: 5,001
Services: 98
Groceries: 112
Health Care: 94
Housing: 116
Transportation: 121
Utilities: 98
More on Dumfries: Homes For Sale | Data
Dumfries, officially the Town of Dumfries, is a town in Prince William County, Virginia. The population was 4,961 at the 2010 United States Census.

9. Warrenton

Population: 9,571
Services: 108
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 156
Transportation: 94
Utilities: 94
More on Warrenton: Homes For Sale | Data
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2015 was 9,897. Warrenton is the county seat of Fauquier County. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 15, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 29, and U.S. Route 211. The town is in the Piedmont region of Virginia, east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The well-known Airlie Conference Center is 3 miles north of Warrenton, and the historic Vint Hill Farms military facility is 9 miles east. Fauquier Hospital is located in the town. Surrounded by Virginia wine and horse country, Warrenton is a popular destination outside Washington, D.C.

10. Virginia Beach

Population: 439,528
Services: 104
Groceries: 91
Health Care: 109
Housing: 147
Transportation: 104
Utilities: 85
More on Virginia Beach: Homes For Sale | Data
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 437,994. In 2015, the population was estimated to be 452,745. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city in Virginia and the 41st most populous city in the nation. Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach is included in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. This area, known as “America’s First Region”, also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk, as well as other smaller cities, counties, and towns of Hampton Roads.

Next 10 Cities

How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Old Dominion For 2018

There are basic necessities that you have to buy no matter where in the country you live. Those things include:

• Housing
• Food
• Gas
• Health Insurance
• Utilities
• Transportation

You can then compare the cost of these things in each of the places in Virginia to figure out which is the most expensive.

What you are left with is a “Cost of Living Index” that normalizes to 100 for an average place in the United States.

So we used that cost of living index in order to rank all of the 58 places in Virginia that have more than 5,000 people.

And just so you can better understand how the cost of living index works, 100 is the average cost of a place in the United States. A score of 90 means that the place cost 10% less than average.

San Francisco has a score of 243 meaning it’s almost 2.5 times as expensive as the average place in the country.

Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck

Well there you have it, the places in Virginia that have the highest cost of living, with Alexandria ranking as the most expensive city in the Old Dominion.

If you’re curious, here are the least expensive cities in Virginia:

1. Martinsville
2. Roanoke
3. Vinton

For more Virginia reading, check out:

• 10 Worst Cities In Virginia For 2017
• 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Virginia
• These Are The 10 Best Counties To Live In Virginia

Detailed List Of The Most Expensive Cities In Virginia

Rank	City	Population	Services	Groceries	Health Care
1	Alexandria	140,337	98	112	94
2	Fredericksburg	24,932	98	112	94
3	Charlottesville	43,223	104	98	105
4	Manassas	37,943	98	112	94
5	Purcellville	7,754	108	100	99
6	Belle Haven	6,808	104	91	109
7	Poquoson	12,110	104	91	109
8	Dumfries	5,001	98	112	94
9	Warrenton	9,571	108	100	99
10	Virginia Beach	439,528	104	91	109
11	Chesapeake	223,233	104	91	109
12	Vienna	15,748	92	113	86
13	Blacksburg	42,539	97	92	108
14	Smithfield	8,059	104	91	109
15	Suffolk	84,216	104	91	109
16	Leesburg	43,208	92	113	86
17	Herndon	23,424	92	113	86
18	Winchester	26,330	108	100	99
19	Newport News	180,831	104	91	109
20	Norfolk	243,056	104	91	109
21	Front Royal	14,537	108	100	99
22	Richmond	205,348	99	96	101
23	Hampton	137,471	104	91	109
24	Woodstock	5,099	108	100	99
25	Ashland	7,239	99	96	101
26	Strasburg	6,348	108	100	99
27	Colonial Heights	17,426	99	96	101
28	Manassas Park	14,409	92	113	86
29	Portsmouth	95,786	104	91	109
30	Christiansburg	20,980	97	92	108
31	Franklin	8,531	104	91	109
32	Harrisonburg	49,043	99	93	104
33	South Boston	8,127	112	102	93
34	Hopewell	22,501	99	96	101
35	Radford	16,511	97	92	108
36	Petersburg	32,226	99	96	101
37	Danville	43,185	112	102	93
38	Wytheville	8,205	97	92	108
39	Emporia	5,825	99	96	101
40	Bluefield	5,451	97	92	108
41	Marion	5,953	97	92	108
42	Galax	6,942	97	92	108
43	Richlands	5,811	97	92	108
44	Pulaski	9,084	97	92	108
45	Lexington	6,990	97	90	92
46	Abingdon	8,166	100	91	89
47	Buena Vista	6,679	97	90	92
48	Staunton	23,906	95	91	94
49	Waynesboro	21,030	95	91	94
50	Big Stone Gap	5,567	100	91	89
51	Covington	5,903	97	90	92
52	Bristol	17,747	100	91	89
53	Lynchburg	75,657	95	92	95
54	Bedford	6,103	95	92	95
55	Salem	24,792	90	90	96
56	Vinton	8,087	90	90	96
57	Roanoke	96,742	90	90	96
58	Martinsville	13,854	96	96	88