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Living in
Winchester.
About
Life in Winchester
Winchester offers a solid middle ground if you want mountain-adjacent living without isolation—you're close enough to D.C. for day trips or commuting, but far enough to feel removed from the chaos. The economy is genuinely diversified: manufacturing (Trex, American Woodmark), federal offices (FEMA, FBI), and a university keep things stable, with an unemployment rate around 3.1%. Housing is reasonable at a median home value of $343,000 and median rent of $1,315, though you should know costs have been creeping up.
Winchester at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.5%
Foreign-Born
12.1%
Broadband Internet
87.4%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Winchester: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Winchester, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (26.2%), and 15.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Households with Kids
24.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.8%
of households
Married Couples
34.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% below VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Winchester
In Winchester, rent runs 17% below the VA average, and home values are 11% below the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,591
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
43.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $398,946 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for VA
Unemployment in Winchester and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Winchester is close to the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Winchester Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Winchester, VA-WV metro area
Commute19.6 min avg
How Winchester residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Winchester, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 41 mi
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Major hub13.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 27% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Winchester runs 27% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
240.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,199.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Winchester Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
16.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Winchester County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Winchester, the most common type is winter weather, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Winter Weather | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 2 | Winter Weather | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Winter Weather | $37,000 |
| 2021 | 18 | Winter Weather | $150,000 |
| 2020 | 20 | Dense Fog | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 27 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 21 | Dense Fog | Not estimated |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Winchester city, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Frederick County, VA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 5 miles from Winchester) is typically good — 270 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
270
per year
Moderate Days
95
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Frederick County, VA (5 mi away)
Climate84°F summers, 26°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Winchester has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/26°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Annual Snowfall
23.1"
Hot Days/Year
24
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
101
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 24°F | 2.77" |
| Feb | 45°F | 26°F | 2.24" |
| Mar | 53°F | 32°F | 3.46" |
| Apr | 65°F | 42°F | 3.49" |
| May | 73°F | 52°F | 4.22" |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.11" |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 4.08" |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 3.23" |
| Sep | 77°F | 57°F | 4.18" |
| Oct | 66°F | 45°F | 3.02" |
| Nov | 55°F | 35°F | 2.79" |
| Dec | 45°F | 28°F | 3.10" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Winchester
Winchester has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Winchester Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Winchester Medical Center · 1840 Amherst St
- Outpatient center: Winchester Rehabilitation Center · 333 W Cork St, Winchester
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education16.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Winchester
Winchester's student/teacher ratio is 16.4:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 31.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Winchester
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,116 students · in-state tuition $37,860 · 68% graduate · median earnings $66,382 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Winchester
Winchester has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awayHarpers Ferry National Historical Park
National Historical Park
25 mi awayAntietam National Battlefield
National Battlefield
31 mi awayPotomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
35 mi awayManassas National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
42 mi awayMonocacy National Battlefield
National Battlefield
44 mi awayCatoctin Mountain Park
Park
50 mi awayShenandoah National Park
National Park
50 mi awayPublic Libraries in Winchester
Handley Library
100 W. Piccadilly St., Winchester
Cities Near Winchester
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Winchester?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Winchester FAQ
Is Winchester, Virginia affordable?⌄
Winchester's median rent is $1,315/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $63,974/year. Median home value is $343,000.
Is Winchester, Virginia safe?⌄
Winchester's violent crime rate was 241 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2200 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Winchester, Virginia?⌄
Winchester has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Winchester, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Winchester is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,315/month and median household income is $63,974/year. The median home value is $343,000. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Winchester, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Winchester is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from