F
130%
Overall NAT. AVG.
9%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
418%
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 Great Falls Virginia National
Cost of living230109100
Goods & Services109100100
Groceries108101100
Health care9799100
Housing518130100
Transportation9595100
Utilities110104100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Great Falls, VA

Understanding the cost of living in Great Falls can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The Great Falls cost of living index is 230, which is 130% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Great Falls may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Great Falls falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs significantly influence the Great Falls cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 417.7%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

Is Great Falls Affordable?

Is Great Falls 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 Great Falls, the median home price is 510.9% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 200.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Great Falls come in at $238,828, which is 331.7% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Great Falls?

Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Great Falls, the groceries index is 8.3% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Certain regions may provide government subsidies or assistance initiatives designed to alleviate the cost of living burden on their residents. These programs encompass a wide range of support mechanisms, such as Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas with fewer subsidy offerings might experience an elevation in their cost of living.

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In Great Falls, the general sales tax rate starts at 5.3%, and income tax rates begin at 2%.

Where is the Data From?

The Great Falls 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 Great Falls is 111% higher than the Virginia average
  • The cost of living in Great Falls is 130% higher than the national average
  • Great Falls housing is 418% 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 Great Falls

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Compare Great Falls, 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$246,905$20,575$5,761$7,408
      Renters$159,167$13,264$3,714$4,775
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Great Falls, 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 Great Falls, homeowners have a median income of $246,905. Using that number, a maximum of $5,761 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $159,167, which means there is a maximum of $3,714 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 Great Falls National avg. Difference
      Haircut $26.11$24.267.6%
      Beauty Salon $70.08$45.5653.8%
      Toothpaste $3.81$3.702.8%
      Shampoo $1.51$1.2817.9%
      Movie $15.69$12.1329.3%
      Bowling $24.83$18.0038.0%

      Groceries

      Item Great Falls National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.24$5.846.9%
      Fried Chicken $1.40$1.5711.0%
      Milk $4.78$4.672.2%
      Potatoes $5.49$4.9311.3%
      Pizza $12.56$12.093.9%
      Beer $11.10$10.416.6%

      Health Care

      Item Great Falls National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $92.00$125.6826.8%
      Doctor $135.03$135.780.5%
      Dentist $117.67$113.293.9%
      Ibuprofen $11.52$10.658.1%
      Lipitor $403.79$468.6013.8%

      Housing

      Item Great Falls National avg. Difference
      Home Price $1,128,300.00$184,700.00510.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $4,819.29$2,346.69105.4%
      Apartment Rent $2,851.00$949.00200.4%

      Transportation

      Item Great Falls National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.25$3.466.0%
      Tire Balancing $59.00$59.921.5%

      Utilities

      Item Great Falls National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $222.47$193.9914.7%
      Phone $197.37$192.252.7%
      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.
      Wakefield town, VA810954.6%
      Leisure World, MD9,31411717.0%
      Montgomery Village, MD34,41312525.2%
      University Center, VA3,87812726.8%
      Germantown, MD89,52913130.8%
      Great Falls, VA14,793230129.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Tonawanda, NY14,7908713.4%
      Bluffdale, UT14,80214040.2%
      Winkler, MB14,804n/a 
      Sooke, BC14,780n/a 
      Eggertsville, NY14,806927.6%
      Great Falls, VA14,793230129.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.