What it's like to live in Waynesboro
Waynesboro is a small city in Virginia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Waynesboro 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
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- 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 Waynesboro compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Waynesboro
Based on Waynesboro's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,040
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,800 a year
- 46% of Waynesboro renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,550
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 28% below US
$1,020/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,020 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 $245,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $245,500 · 46% 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▼ 22% below US
256 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 1541/100k · Waynesboro Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 18% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% 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
Education & workforce▼ 29% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 (38 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Waynesboro'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 ($1,020/mo) equals 20% 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 people who want short commutes.
Other places near Waynesboro
All Virginia guides →Moving to Stuarts Draft →
8 mi away · pop. 11,780
Rent $1,201/mo · Income $79,332
Compare with Waynesboro →Moving to Staunton →
11 mi away · pop. 25,948
Rent $1,024/mo · Income $65,581
Compare with Waynesboro →Moving to Charlottesville →
23 mi away · pop. 45,437
Rent $1,540/mo · Income $74,824
Compare with Waynesboro →Moving to Harrisonburg →
25 mi away · pop. 51,392
Rent $1,184/mo · Income $62,254
Compare with Waynesboro →Not sure Waynesboro is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.