B-
14%
Overall NAT. AVG.
3%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
45%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Culpeper Virginia National
Cost of living114109100
Goods & Services103100100
Groceries99101100
Health care9699100
Housing145130100
Transportation9395100
Utilities105104100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Culpeper, VA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Culpeper? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Culpeper stands at 114, making it 14% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

When it comes to the cost of living in Culpeper, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 45.4% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.

Is Culpeper Affordable?

Is Culpeper an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Culpeper, the median home price is 52.4% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 29% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Culpeper come in at $73,100, which is 32.1% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Culpeper?

Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Culpeper, the housing index stands at 45.4% higher than the national average.

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In Culpeper, the utilities index registers at 4.8% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Culpeper, healthcare costs are 4.3% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Culpeper cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Culpeper is 5% higher than the Virginia average
  • The cost of living in Culpeper is 14% higher than the national average
  • Culpeper housing is 45% higher than the national average
  • Virginia general sales tax is 4% higher than the national average
  • Virginia state income tax is 23% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Culpeper

See all the best places to live around Culpeper

Compare Culpeper, VA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$86,359$7,197$2,015$2,591
      Renters$53,597$4,466$1,251$1,608
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Culpeper, VA, as well as what the overall cost of living might be. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payments and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Culpeper, homeowners have a median income of $86,359. Using that number, a maximum of $2,015 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $53,597, which means there is a maximum of $1,251 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

      Virginia Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Virginia 5.3% 6%

      Virginia Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Virginia 2% 5.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Culpeper National avg. Difference
      Haircut $27.97$24.2615.3%
      Beauty Salon $54.19$45.5618.9%
      Toothpaste $3.81$3.702.9%
      Shampoo $1.71$1.2833.5%
      Movie $15.32$12.1326.3%
      Bowling $25.50$18.0041.7%

      Groceries

      Item Culpeper National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.34$5.848.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.41$1.5710.4%
      Milk $4.78$4.672.4%
      Potatoes $5.33$4.938.0%
      Pizza $12.47$12.093.2%
      Beer $11.67$10.4112.1%

      Health Care

      Item Culpeper National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $121.84$125.683.1%
      Doctor $168.85$135.7824.4%
      Dentist $135.19$113.2919.3%
      Ibuprofen $11.86$10.6511.4%
      Lipitor $414.10$468.6011.6%

      Housing

      Item Culpeper National avg. Difference
      Home Price $281,500.00$184,700.0052.4%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $5,381.45$2,346.69129.3%
      Apartment Rent $1,224.00$949.0029.0%

      Transportation

      Item Culpeper National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.49$3.460.8%
      Tire Balancing $57.76$59.923.6%

      Utilities

      Item Culpeper National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $201.35$193.993.8%
      Phone $184.83$192.253.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Remington, VA64211313.0%
      Bealeton, VA3,96411818.1%
      Brightwood, VA1,28311413.9%
      Lake Wilderness, VA2,83711514.8%
      Madison, VA32911616.4%
      Culpeper, VA18,63311414.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Cortland, NY18,633928.3%
      Forest Park, OH18,632955.4%
      Helena, AL18,6311032.9%
      Imperial, CA18,63111919.0%
      Creve Coeur, MO18,62712928.7%
      Culpeper, VA18,63311414.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.