Charlottesville cost of living
Prices in the Charlottesville, VA metro area run at 99.1 against a national average of 100, ranking it #97 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 107.0.
What drives the number
Charlottesville sits at 99.1, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. It ranks #97 of 387 metro areas, in the middle by construction rather than by coincidence. Against Virginia as a whole it is 2 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.8, rents at 107.0, other services at 89.0. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 0.9 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Charlottesville is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,860 | $30,140 | $30,414 | $30,480 |
| Registered Nurses | 2,850 | $95,180 | $96,044 | $93,600 |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,610 | $31,200 | $31,483 | $34,580 |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,300 | $102,070 | $102,997 | $102,950 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,130 | $37,960 | $38,305 | $33,760 |
| Cashiers | 2,020 | $29,800 | $30,071 | $31,190 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,920 | $44,100 | $44,501 | $43,630 |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,740 | $38,870 | $39,223 | $39,530 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 99.1.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | 108.9 | 151.1 | #15 |
| Richmond | 97.9 | 99.1 | #115 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | #116 |
| Winchester | 96.5 | 90.0 | #139 |
| Harrisonburg | 94.9 | 82.3 | #170 |
| Roanoke | 93.6 | 78.5 | #192 |
Charlottesville: common questions
Is Charlottesville expensive?
Prices are 0.9% below the national average, a parity of 99.1 where the country is 100. It ranks #97 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Virginia as a whole it is 2 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Charlottesville?
The median worker there earns $51,740, which buys what $52,210 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 107.0 against goods at 96.8. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.