What it's like to live in Staunton
Staunton is a small city in Virginia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Staunton deals with household incomes below the national average, cold winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Staunton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Staunton
Based on Staunton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,048
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,960 a year
- 43% of Staunton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$51,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,920
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 28% below US
$1,024/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,024 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $259,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $259,200 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 28% below US
3.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.1%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 49% below US
169 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1351/100k · Staunton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 21% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
38% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 38% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below 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 Shenandoah National Park (39 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Staunton's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,024/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Staunton
All Virginia guides →Moving to Stuarts Draft →
9 mi away · pop. 11,780
Rent $1,201/mo · Income $79,332
Compare with Staunton →Moving to Waynesboro →
11 mi away · pop. 22,841
Rent $1,020/mo · Income $59,994
Compare with Staunton →Moving to Harrisonburg →
22 mi away · pop. 51,392
Rent $1,184/mo · Income $62,254
Compare with Staunton →Moving to Charlottesville →
32 mi away · pop. 45,437
Rent $1,540/mo · Income $74,824
Compare with Staunton →Not sure Staunton is the one?
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