Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would need to be about $28,430 in Floyd County, VA, or $21,570 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Fairfax County, VA vs Floyd County, VA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Floyd County, VA is cheaper than Fairfax County, VA.
Moving to Floyd County, VA is estimated to save $33,986 per year.
Cheaper County
Floyd County, VASave about $33,986 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Fairfax County, VA is about $28,430 in Floyd County, VA.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $2,088 per year. Housing saves $18,697 per year.
Housing: $18,697 lower in Floyd County, VA
Taxes: $10,927 lower in Floyd County, VA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $185 higher in Floyd County, VA
Food: $634 lower in Floyd County, VA
Transport: $2,088 higher in Floyd County, VA
Fairfax County, VA→Floyd County, VA
Equivalent salary in Floyd County, VA
$28,430
-43.14% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Fairfax County, VA: $178,683
Median Income in Floyd County, VA: $81,781
Living Index in Fairfax County, VA 44.09%
Living Index in Floyd County, VA 54.78%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Fairfax County, VA to Floyd County, VA.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Fairfax County, VA to Floyd County, VA is estimated to save $33,986 per year. A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would have similar purchasing power to about $28,430 in Floyd County, VA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -43.14% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $18,697 per year lower (-69.28%); Taxes is $10,927 per year lower (-55.16%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Fairfax County, VA and Floyd County, VA, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 44.1% of median family income in Fairfax County, VA and 54.8% in Floyd County, VA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $18,697 per year lower in Floyd County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Floyd County, VA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $634 per year lower in Floyd County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Floyd County, VA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $2,088 per year higher in Floyd County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Floyd County, VA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $185 per year higher in Floyd County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Floyd County, VA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $6,002 per year lower in Floyd County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Floyd County, VA help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Fairfax County, VA and Floyd County, VA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Floyd County, VA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $10,927 per year lower in Floyd County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Floyd County, VA matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Floyd County, VA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Floyd County, VA
Annual Increase:
$2,088 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Floyd County, VA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Floyd County, VA
Annual Savings:
$18,697 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Floyd County, VA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -69% lower | |
| Food | -12% lower | |
| Transport | 17% higher | |
| Healthcare | 4% higher | |
| Other Costs | -60% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -55% lower |
In Floyd County, VA, modeled annual costs are $44,800 compared with $78,786 in Fairfax County, VA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Floyd County, VA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Floyd County, VA and Fairfax County, VA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
