Alexandria, VA

Yes — Alexandria is about 53% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 153. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $665,724, and monthly rents average roughly $2,223. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $2,223, while local median household income is $113,638. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 23% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

Virginia has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 5.75%. The effective property tax rate is 0.82%. On a home worth $665,724, that translates to roughly $5,459 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 5.75% on everyday purchases.

The typical monthly rent in Alexandria is around $2,223. That's about 65% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $665,724, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

The median home in Alexandria is valued at $665,724. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $3,366/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 42% of residents here own their homes.

Grocery prices in Alexandria are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 105, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 107). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

Alexandria is a mid-sized city with a population of about 156,788. The median age of residents is 37.5, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 8.41%, near the national average of 12.4%.