City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Winchester, VA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Winchester - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

27,981
Residents
$64,648
Median income
$325,900
Median home
$1,573
Median rent (state)

Winchester - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Winchester places in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 21st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
62nd
percentile, median rent
21st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Winchester, VA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 27,981 residents in Winchester, a small city within Virginia. The typical household in Winchester brings in $64,648 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.3%. Winchester's housing stock carries a median value of $325,900, and the median resident age is 36.7 years. 31.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 91 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 146% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2566.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Winchester's yearly average temperature at 54.3°F with 40.7 inches of precipitation per year and 23.1 inches of snowfall.

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Virginia scores 101.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,573 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 16.9 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

27,981 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$64,648 /yr

Poverty 12.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Winchester compare to other US cities?

Where Winchester sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 62% pricier than other cities
Safety 21% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Virginia alone, Winchester ranks #84 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Winchester against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Virginia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Virginia-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Winchester toward the top of Virginia's cities

Among the 616 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Winchester ranks #156 - the 75th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Winchester only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#324 of 558
42nd percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#249 of 619
59th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#207 of 567
63rd percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#156 of 616
75th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#266 of 618
57th percentile in Virginia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Virginia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

42ndIncome percentile
21stSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 21st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Winchester's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Winchester's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Winchester's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Winchester's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$325,900 31st percentile more affordable than 31% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Winchester $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Winchester, VA Winchester, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Winchester, VA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Winchester, VA median $64,648/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Winchester, VA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Winchester, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
27,981
Median Income
$64,648
Median Home Value
$325,900
Median Age
36.7
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Labor force participation
62.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2566.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
238.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2328.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
54.3°F
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Annual Snowfall
23.1"

Schools

Total Schools
20
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
27,800 residents28,000 residents28,200 residents28,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 28,003 residents 28,272 residents ▲ +1.0%
Winchester's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
91
housing units authorized
Single-Family
39
detached homes
Multifamily
52
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 37
2020 18
2021 209
2022 259
2023 66
2024 91

Permit volume increased 146% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.2%
Carpool
8.8%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
13.3%
Other
0.8%

Based on 13,717 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Winchester sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,573/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
16.9 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Tysons
28,022 people
Short Pump
28,177 people
Fredericksburg
28,383 people
Cave Spring
26,014 people
Staunton
25,765 people
Salem
25,477 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Winchester's 27,981 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Maryland Heights, MO
27,981 people
Henderson, KY
27,994 people
Williston, ND
27,964 people
Old Bridge, NJ
28,015 people
New Iberia, LA
27,926 people
Danvers, MA
27,924 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Winchester's $64,648 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Crystal City, MO
$64,650 median income
Wildwood, IN
$64,643 median income
Royalton, MN
$64,643 median income
Fillmore, NY
$64,643 median income
Rosita, TX
$64,654 median income
Ottawa, KS
$64,655 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Winchester, VA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Winchester, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.0% 9.2% 8.1% 11.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.1% White 69.0% Black or African American 9.2% Asian 2.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 8.1% Two or more races 11.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Winchester compares to nearby Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Winchester (this city) 27,981 $64,648
Tysons 28,022 $129,189
Short Pump 28,177 $132,194
Fredericksburg 28,383 $85,368
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Winchester, VA?

What is the population of Winchester, VA? +

27,981 people live in Winchester, VA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Winchester, VA? +

The median household income in Winchester is $64,648 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Winchester? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Winchester; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Winchester, VA safe? +

Winchester has a total crime rate of 2566.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Winchester, VA? +

The median home value in Winchester is $325,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Winchester? +

Winchester has an average annual temperature of 54.3°F, 40.7 inches of precipitation, and 23.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.