F
35%
Overall NAT. AVG.
9%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
103%
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 Sterling Virginia National
Cost of living135109100
Goods & Services109100100
Groceries108101100
Health care9799100
Housing203130100
Transportation9595100
Utilities110104100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Sterling, VA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Sterling? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Sterling stands at 135, making it 35% 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.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Sterling is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Sterling falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Sterling, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 102.6% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Is Sterling Affordable?

Wondering if Sterling is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Sterling, for example, the median home price is 105% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 96.8% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Sterling boasting a median household income of $101,079, which is 82.7% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Sterling?

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any other goods or services, utility expenditures can exhibit substantial variability, influenced by factors such as climate, energy sources accessibility, geographical location and state regulations. Costs related to electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, whether higher or lower, contingent on the city or state. In Sterling, the utilities index is 10.2% higher than the national average.

Groceries: Over the past 2-3 years, grocery expenses have experienced substantial upward trends. In certain markets, food prices have surged by over 20% during this period, while others have witnessed more modest increases. These fluctuations in food costs can wield significant influence over the overall cost of living in a given region. In Sterling, the groceries index is 8.3% higher than the national average.

Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Sterling, the transportation index is 4.7% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Sterling 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 Sterling is 24% higher than the Virginia average
  • The cost of living in Sterling is 35% higher than the national average
  • Sterling housing is 103% 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 Sterling

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Compare Sterling, 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$113,750$9,479$2,654$3,413
      Renters$54,688$4,557$1,276$1,641
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Sterling, 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 Sterling, homeowners have a median income of $113,750. Using that number, a maximum of $2,654 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $54,688, which means there is a maximum of $1,276 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 Sterling 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 Sterling 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 Sterling 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 Sterling National avg. Difference
      Home Price $378,700.00$184,700.00105.0%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $4,819.29$2,346.69105.4%
      Apartment Rent $1,868.00$949.0096.8%

      Transportation

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

      Utilities

      Item Sterling 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%
      Yorkshire, VA9,11812322.8%
      Montgomery Village, MD34,41312525.2%
      University Center, VA3,87812726.8%
      Hamilton, VA70812929.4%
      Sterling, VA30,87213535.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Los Altos, CA30,878341241.2%
      Fair Oaks, CA30,88214848.2%
      Algonquin, IL30,84811211.8%
      Centre Wellington, ON30,896n/a 
      Cleburne, TX30,812972.8%
      Sterling, VA30,87213535.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.