LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Annandale, VA

High Pressure

Living in Annandale, VA costs about 60% more than the national average (Cost Index: 160). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $749,037 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $112,872, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Annandale already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 21% rent burden, 6.6x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 247. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Annandale.

Monthly Housing
$1,932/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
21%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$6,974/mo
After housing and debt · $2,325/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 26%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
160
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$749,037
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $650,100
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,932/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$112,872
National: $78,538
Population
41,982
Purchasing Power
90
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
247 / 100
~2.5x more expensive
Rent Index
143 / 100
43% above average
Goods & Groceries
105 / 100
About the same as most US cities
Utilities
107 / 100
Typical utility costs
Healthcare & Services
102 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
160
Very Expensive · 60% above average

Annandale Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $749,037 and Virginia's property tax rate of 0.82%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$112,872
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
21%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
6.6x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Annandale looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Annandale, VA

Est. Annual Property Tax
$6,142
Monthly Impact
$512
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.82%
National avg: ~1.00%

Virginia Place Tax Context

Tax TypeVirginiaNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.82%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate5.75%~5.0%
State Sales Tax5.75%~5.0%

Compare Annandale to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Annandale, VA
160
143
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Annandale, VA: 247
Rent Prices
143

FAQ: Living in Annandale

Is Annandale, VA an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Annandale is about 60% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 160. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $749,037, and monthly rents average roughly $1,932. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Annandale fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,932, while local median household income is $112,872. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 21% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Annandale, VA?+

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 $749,037, that translates to roughly $6,142 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 5.75% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Annandale, VA?+

The typical monthly rent in Annandale is around $1,932. That's about 43% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $749,037, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Annandale, VA?+

The median home in Annandale is valued at $749,037. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $3,788/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 64% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Annandale?+

Grocery prices in Annandale 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.

What is Annandale, VA like to live in?+

Annandale is a smaller city with a population of about 41,982. The median age of residents is 40.8, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 10.49%, near the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Virginia

If Annandale feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Virginia

Use these city pages when you want to compare Annandale against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly