Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would need to be about $38,915 in Henrico County, VA, or $11,085 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Fairfax County, VA vs Henrico County, VA: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Henrico County, VA is cheaper than Fairfax County, VA.
Moving to Henrico County, VA is estimated to save $17,465 per year.
Cheaper County
Henrico County, VASave about $17,465 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Fairfax County, VA is about $38,915 in Henrico County, VA.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $189 per year. Housing saves $8,161 per year.
Housing: $8,161 lower in Henrico County, VA
Taxes: $6,136 lower in Henrico County, VA
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $189 higher in Henrico County, VA
Food: $611 lower in Henrico County, VA
Transport: $22 lower in Henrico County, VA
Fairfax County, VA→Henrico County, VA
Equivalent salary in Henrico County, VA
$38,915
-22.17% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Fairfax County, VA: $178,683
Median Income in Henrico County, VA: $110,829
Living Index in Fairfax County, VA 44.09%
Living Index in Henrico County, VA 55.33%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Fairfax County, VA to Henrico 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 Henrico County, VA is estimated to save $17,465 per year. A $50,000 salary in Fairfax County, VA would have similar purchasing power to about $38,915 in Henrico County, VA. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -22.17% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $8,161 per year lower (-30.24%); Taxes is $6,136 per year lower (-30.98%).
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 Henrico 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 55.3% in Henrico County, VA. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $8,161 per year lower in Henrico 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 Henrico County, VA changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $611 per year lower in Henrico County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Henrico County, VA can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $22 per year lower in Henrico 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 Henrico County, VA.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $189 per year higher in Henrico County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Henrico County, VA changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,723 per year lower in Henrico County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Henrico 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 Henrico County, VA, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Henrico County, VA, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $6,136 per year lower in Henrico County, VA than in Fairfax County, VA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Henrico 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 Henrico County, VA.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Henrico County, VA
Annual Increase:
$189 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Henrico County, VA.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Henrico County, VA
Annual Savings:
$8,161 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Henrico County, VA.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -30% lower | |
| Food | -12% lower | |
| Transport | -0% higher | |
| Healthcare | 4% higher | |
| Other Costs | -27% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -31% lower |
In Henrico County, VA, modeled annual costs are $61,321 compared with $78,786 in Fairfax County, VA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Henrico County, VA. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Henrico County, VA and Fairfax County, VA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
