Here's How Much You Need To Earn To Live Anywhere In Virginia

Virginia is one of the most expensive states in America, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The cheapest metro area to live in is Richmond at about $83,000 a year, while you need to earn over $110,000 a year to live in many parts of Fairfax and Loudon Counties. But you may be able to find a place to live in the state that won't break your budget.

The organization recently released its 2018 family budget calculator that estimates how costly it is to live in each of America's 3,142 counties and 611 metro areas. We have rankings of Virginia places, county-by-county, based on affordability (see below).

The group, for instance, estimates a family of two adults and two children in the City of Alexandria would need to earn a combined $105,239 per year — or $8,770 a month — to live comfortably.

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Here's how the group breaks down that number:

• Housing: $1,736 per month
• Food: $1,012 per month
• Child Care: $1,635 per month
• Transportation: $903 per month
• Health Care: $949 per month
• Other Necessities: $1,109 per month
• Taxes: $1,425 per month

Compared to the Washington, DC metropolitan area, that's about average.

Here are the rankings of Virginia places, county-by-county, based on the cost estimate for a family of four. Click on this link to get more of the breakdown in expenses:

• Charlottesville metro: $89,309
• Richmond metro: $83,370
• Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Newport News metro: $87,069
• Washington, DC, metro: $105,539
• City of Arlington: $105,239
• Arlington County: $113,915
• Fairfax City: $109,192
• Fairfax County: $114,105
• City of Falls Church: $103,536
• Fauquier County: $96,528
• City of Fredericksburg: $89,119
• Loudon County: $112,697
• City of Manassas: $96,314
• Prince William County: $105,189
• Spotsylvania County: $98,083
• $102,352: $102,352

You can look up any metro area or county in country via this link.

The family budget calculator accounts for geographic differences in cost of living, but does not include many expenses associated with a middle-class lifestyle, including student loan payments or saving for college or retirement.

"Our Family Budget Calculator goes beyond traditional measures like the poverty line to paint a detailed picture of what families need to get by," EPI Senior Economist Elise Gould said in a release. "The latest update provides even greater detail on how costs vary throughout the country. It is above all else a tool for policymakers to advocate for ways to raise wages and make their communities more affordable."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, San Francisco ranked first in the nation as the most expensive metro area with a basic budget of $148,439 a year for a two-parent, two-child household. On the flipside, that same household would only need to earn $58,906 to live comfortably in Brownsville, Texas, the least expensive metro area in the country.

The group noted that many low-wage workers don't make enough money to adequately provide for their family's basic needs. Even after adjusting for higher state and city minimum wages, the group said, there is "nowhere in the country" where a minimum-wage worker would earns enough.

"It's clear from our analysis that, even in less-expensive areas, many families will struggle to meet their basic needs," said research assistant Zane Mokhiber. "The good news is we have many different ways to remedy this, from a higher minimum wage to ambitious child care reform. Policymakers should draw on a range of tools to help people meet the needs laid out in the Family Budget Calculator."

Click here to go to to the calculator. You can change the number of adults and children to see exactly what your household needs to earn to live comfortably in your county.

Patch reporters Dan Hampton and Tom Davis contributed to this report
Photo: Shutterstock