Moving from Washington to Virginia
Your real buying power stays about the same (+1.0%). Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in VA: $98,900
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $98,900 in Virginia to match $100,000 in Washington ($1,100 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $100,000 | Washington | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $13,170 | $13,170 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $7,650 | $7,650 |
| State income tax | $0 | $4,936 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $1,387 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $77,793 | $74,244 |
Key facts: Washington to Virginia
- Median rent
- $1,824 → $1,646/mo
- Median home value
- $602,200 → $403,500
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 107.0 → 101.1
- Road distance
- ≈ 2,680 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest → Above average
What changes when you move to Virginia
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Virginia does. At $100,000 expect about $4,936 a year in Virginia income tax. You'd stop paying about $1,387 a year in Washington's paid-leave and long-term-care premiums, so your take-home falls by about $3,549 a year.
- BEA's housing price index is 15% lower in Virginia. Median rent goes from $1,824 to $1,646 a month and the median home value from $602,200 to $403,500.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $2,872 in Virginia vs $4,729 in Washington.
- The average home electric bill is $149 a month in Virginia vs $114 in Washington (EIA 2024), about $421 a year more.
- Prices for everyday goods are 4% lower (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 5.3% in Virginia vs 6.5% in Washington, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from Washington to Virginia
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 2,575 households (4,995 people) filed their taxes in Virginia after filing in Washington the year before. That makes Virginia the #10 destination for people leaving Washington. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $99,486. Going the other way, 2,660 households moved from Virginia to Washington, a net loss of 85 households for Virginia.
Five-year trend
Moves from Washington to Virginia reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 11% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Washington to Virginia
Moving cost: $1,640–$20,810
Moving about 2,680 miles from Washington to Virginia costs roughly $1,640 – $20,810, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $1,640 – $8,060 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $2,550 – $7,530 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $4,020 – $20,810 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 268 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Washington to Virginia
Car shipping: $1,510–$2,180
Shipping a sedan from Washington to Virginia on an open carrier costs about $1,510–$2,180, typically 5–10 days in transit over about 2,680 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Washington vs Virginia take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in VA | Take-home change | Take-home in WA | Take-home in VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,800 | -$1,367 | $41,661 | $40,294 |
| $75,000 | $73,600 | -$2,458 | $60,552 | $58,094 |
| $100,000 | $98,900 | -$3,549 | $77,793 | $74,244 |
| $150,000 | $149,300 | -$5,730 | $111,710 | $105,980 |
| $250,000 | $251,100 | -$10,622 | $180,243 | $169,621 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax once you live in Virginia, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: Washington vs Virginia
| Measure | Washington | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 107.0 | 101.1 |
| Housing price index | 126.0 | 106.8 |
| Utilities price index | 92.9 | 92.2 |
| Goods price index | 104.4 | 100.4 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,824 | $1,646 |
| Median home value | $602,200 | $403,500 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $4,729 | $2,872 |
| Electricity (residential) | 14.91¢/kWh | 17.22¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| Median household income | $99,389 | $92,090 |
Renting and buying: Washington vs Virginia
| Measure | Washington | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $72,960 | $65,840 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $3,692 | $2,484 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $158,207 | $106,440 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,301 | $1,290 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $21,348 | $16,796 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Virginia for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Washington vs Virginia
On a $100,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $56,622 a year in Washington and $55,898 in Virginia if you rent: $724 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $79,032 and $65,949 ($13,083 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | WA | VA | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $100,000, single filer | $22,207 | $25,756 | +$3,549 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,364 | $1,785 | +$421 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,153 | $1,114 | -$39 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,666 | $2,031 | -$635 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,344 | $5,460 | -$1,884 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $21,888 | $19,752 | -$2,136 |
| Total if you rent | $56,622 | $55,898 | -$724 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $38,268 | $25,641 | -$12,627 |
| Property tax median home | $4,729 | $2,872 | -$1,857 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,301 | $1,290 | -$11 |
| Total if you buy | $79,032 | $65,949 | -$13,083 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $21,348 a year in Washington and $16,796 in Virginia (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in Virginia cities: Virginia Beach, Richmond.
After you arrive in Virginia
- Virginia new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Washington and Virginia.
- How Virginia taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Virginia to live like I do in Washington?
A $100,000 salary in Washington works out to about $98,900 in Virginia once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted.
Will I pay less tax in Virginia than in Washington?
No, about $3,549 more a year in income and payroll taxes on a $100,000 salary (22.2% of pay in Washington vs 25.8% in Virginia). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Washington to Virginia?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 2,680 miles, expect roughly $1,640–$8,060 with a rental truck, $2,550–$7,530 with a moving container, or $4,020–$20,810 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Washington to Virginia?
Moves from Washington to Virginia reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 11% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Washington to Virginia?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 2,575 households (4,995 people) moved from Washington to Virginia, making Virginia the #10 destination for people leaving Washington. 2,660 households moved the other way.
Is Virginia cheaper than Washington?
Overall prices in Virginia are 5.5% lower than Washington (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,646 vs $1,824 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Washington actually move
- WA to California 17,871 households
- WA to Oregon 12,212 households
- WA to Texas 9,863 households
- WA to Arizona 8,011 households
- WA to Idaho 6,151 households
- WA to Florida 5,661 households
- WA to New York 3,513 households
- WA to Colorado 3,480 households