Cost of living in Washington

Composed in-house · four inputs · 14% of the overall score

A−

83/100
2nd of 60

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The four inputs

Housing cost index103

Washington 10045% · scores 75

Effective property tax rate0.60%

Washington 0.85%25% · scores 90

Utilities69

Washington 10020% · scores 91

Local sales tax—

Washington median 5.77%10% · scores —

Vertical rule marks the Washington reference. Composed in-house · ACS 2020–24. Every scale is on the methodology page.

Best Washington suburbs for cost of living

All 60 ranked, Washington highlighted

1Silver SpringA−$643,300 2WashingtonA−$737,100 3ChillumB+$393,600 4Bailey's CrossroadsB+$416,600 5Lake RidgeB+$471,200 6Montgomery VillageB+$388,900 7GreenbeltB+$255,400 8South LaurelB+$458,100 9FredericksburgB+$483,700 10FrederickB+$401,500 11FairlandB+$477,300 12ManassasB$449,900 13AnnandaleB$681,300 14Aspen HillB$570,000 15SuitlandB$334,800 16Linton HallB$617,000 17LaurelB$385,500 18Ballenger CreekB$387,300 19ArlingtonB$895,000 20OaktonB$792,100 21West Falls ChurchB$706,800 22GaithersburgB$496,500 23MontclairB$577,800 24AlexandriaB−$735,100 25Dale CityB−$425,500 26WoodbridgeB−$422,400 27RestonB−$642,000 28SterlingB−$526,000 29TysonsB−$640,000 30Fair OaksB−$608,200 31Cherry HillB−$492,500 32RockvilleB−$682,300 33GermantownB−$422,400 34WheatonB−$501,200 35AshburnB−$699,300 36BowieB−$459,300 37BethesdaB−$1,169,900 38College ParkB−$437,900 39North BethesdaB−$731,800 40West SpringfieldB−$637,300 41WaldorfB−$407,600 42LandoverB−$313,900 43HerndonB−$599,100 44ClintonB−$431,400 45CentrevilleB−$590,500 46ClarksburgC+$679,400 47North PotomacC+$826,200 48ChantillyC+$663,600 49BurkeC+$747,700 50Camp SpringsC+$415,000 51OlneyC+$656,600 52Fort WashingtonC+$480,100 53McNairC+$595,800 54BrambletonC+$865,800 55LeesburgC$667,800 56McLeanC$1,412,700 57South RidingC$746,200 58FairfaxC$722,600 59SpringfieldC−$640,300 60PotomacC−$1,157,000

← Back to Washington overview How the index is built →

Better than Washington on cost of living

Washington grades A− on cost of living. One suburb is within 25 miles and scores higher on the same four inputs.

SuburbCost of livingMedian home valueEff. tax rateOverall

Silver Spring7 mi from WashingtonA−$643k0.78% 65 C+

Cost-of-living index composed in-house from housing cost, utilities, effective property tax and local sales tax · Median home value: ACS 2020–24 · Effective property tax: ACS 2020–24

Six Washington lists

Best Washington suburbs for families Most affordable Washington suburbs Best Washington suburbs for schools Shortest commutes to Downtown Washington Most walkable Washington suburbs Best Washington suburbs for young professionals

Compare Washington

Washington vs Chillum Every Washington suburb, side by side

How this works

How we score Washington suburbs — every weight and source Twelve guides to moving to Washington