What Is a Good Salary in Virginia in 2026?
By Wealthvieu
·
Updated
A good salary in Virginia is $70,000-$90,000 for a single person. Northern Virginia (NoVA) near DC requires significantly more.
Quick Answer by City
| City |
Good Salary |
Comfortable |
Thriving |
| Arlington (NoVA) |
$95,000 |
$120,000 |
$165,000 |
| Alexandria (NoVA) |
$90,000 |
$115,000 |
$160,000 |
| Richmond |
$60,000 |
$75,000 |
$100,000 |
| Virginia Beach |
$60,000 |
$75,000 |
$100,000 |
| Norfolk |
$55,000 |
$70,000 |
$95,000 |
Virginia Cost of Living
| Category |
Virginia |
National Avg |
Difference |
| Overall |
103 |
100 |
+3% |
| Housing |
110 |
100 |
+10% |
| Transportation |
95 |
100 |
-5% |
| Healthcare |
100 |
100 |
0% |
| Utilities |
102 |
100 |
+2% |
NoVA is 30%+ above average; Richmond is about average.
Virginia Income Tax
Virginia uses graduated tax brackets:
| Income |
Tax Rate |
| $0 - $3,000 |
2.0% |
| $3,000 - $5,000 |
3.0% |
| $5,000 - $17,000 |
5.0% |
| Over $17,000 |
5.75% |
Top rate of 5.75% applies to most of your income.
Take-Home Pay in Virginia
| Gross Salary |
Federal Tax |
State Tax |
FICA |
Take-Home |
| $60,000 |
$5,500 |
$3,200 |
$4,590 |
$46,710 |
| $75,000 |
$8,000 |
$4,100 |
$5,738 |
$57,162 |
| $100,000 |
$12,500 |
$5,600 |
$7,650 |
$74,250 |
| $125,000 |
$18,000 |
$7,000 |
$9,563 |
$90,437 |
Housing Costs by Region
| Area |
Median Home Price |
Median Rent (1BR) |
| Arlington |
$700,000 |
$2,300 |
| Alexandria |
$625,000 |
$2,100 |
| Richmond |
$380,000 |
$1,350 |
| Virginia Beach |
$340,000 |
$1,300 |
| Norfolk |
$290,000 |
$1,150 |
NoVA vs. Rest of Virginia
| Factor |
Northern Virginia |
Rest of Virginia |
| Median salary |
$95,000 |
$55,000 |
| Median home |
$650,000 |
$320,000 |
| Median rent |
$2,200 |
$1,250 |
NoVA benefits from federal government and contractor jobs, plus tech.
