Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Winchester, VA

Prices around Winchester, VA run 3.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $63,974 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,573 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $62,920 a year.

Winchester, VA at a glance

Median household income

$63,974$5,331 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,573HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)96.5-3.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential VA
Population27,913Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Winchester, VA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,573Monthly market rent
Share of gross income29.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$62,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,599At 30% of $63,974
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Winchester, VA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Winchester, VA-WV MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Winchester, VA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,133$13,596$45,32021.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,255$15,060$50,20023.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,573$18,876$62,92029.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,965$23,580$78,60036.9%
4-Bedroom Home$2,639$31,668$105,56049.5%

Rent in Winchester, VA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Winchester, VA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $63,974 a year ($5,331 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,666/moRent ($1,573 2-BR), utilities (~$155/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,599/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,066/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $63,974 leaves after Virginia taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Virginia tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$63,974
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$63,974
Net 79%
Fed 9%
VA 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,719After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,227Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,951Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,497 / yr
Virginia state income tax$2,864 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,894 / yr

Living in Winchester, VA: common questions

What is the median household income in Winchester, VA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Winchester, VA is $63,974 per year (approximately $5,331 per month).

What is the average rent in Winchester, VA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,133 for a studio, $1,255 for one bedroom, $1,573 for two, $1,965 for three and $2,639 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Winchester, VA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 96.5, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Winchester, VA?

To keep a $1,573 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $62,920 a year, or $5,243 a month. That is 98% of what the typical household in Winchester, VA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Winchester, VA?

On the local median income of $63,974 ($5,331 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,666 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,599 for everything else and $1,066 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,573 takes 59% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Winchester, VA?

Homes in Virginia paid 17.2¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $155. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.