What it's like to live in Manassas Park
Manassas Park is a small city in Virginia with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Manassas Park deals with rent well above the national average, long average commutes, a population that has been shrinking, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Long commutes
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
How Manassas Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Manassas Park
Based on Manassas Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,292
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $85,840 a year
- 48% of Manassas Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$79,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,590
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 52% above US
$2,146/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,146 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $395,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $395,900 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 30% below US
3.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 78% below US
80 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 783/100k · Manassas Park Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▲ 42% above US
37 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 37 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 25% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Manassas National Battlefield Park (6 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Manassas Park's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and long average commutes. A year of median rent ($2,146/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Manassas Park
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