Charles Town, WV vs Strasburg, VA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Strasburg, VA has a modeled overall cost index 6.7% lower than Charles Town, WV.

Charles Town, WV · modeled 2BR rent: $1,180 / month
Strasburg, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,170 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Charles Town, WV and Strasburg, VA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Charles Town, WV

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $451/month in Strasburg, VA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,587 in Strasburg, VA

Regional cost estimates: Charles Town, WV uses Washington, DC. Strasburg, VA uses Washington, DC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 6.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$451

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.4K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Charles Town, WV

Population:8K

Cost Index:

122.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$402K

Strasburg, VA

Population:7K

Cost Index:

113.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$336K

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Charles Town, WV

The Mountain State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in West Virginia, this city has a population of 8K residents.

Strasburg, VA

The Old Dominion State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 7K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Charles Town, WV vs Strasburg, VA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Charles Town, WV	Strasburg, VA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,560/mo	$3,321/mo	↓ $239less	6.7%
Transportation	$1,200/mo	$1,120/mo	↓ $80.53less	6.7%
Other	$1,162/mo	$1,084/mo	↓ $77.95less	6.7%
Groceries	$767/mo	$741/mo	↓ $26.18less	3.4%
Healthcare	$449/mo	$434/mo	↓ $15.33less	3.4%
All Utilities	$361/mo	$349/mo	↓ $12.33less	3.4%

Housing

↓ 6.7%

Charles Town, WV

$3,560

Strasburg, VA

$3,321

Difference

$239

less

Transportation

↓ 6.7%

Charles Town, WV

$1,200

Strasburg, VA

$1,120

Difference

$80.53

less

Other

↓ 6.7%

Charles Town, WV

$1,162

Strasburg, VA

$1,084

Difference

$77.95

less

Groceries

↓ 3.4%

Charles Town, WV

$767

Strasburg, VA

$741

Difference

$26.18

less

Healthcare

↓ 3.4%

Charles Town, WV

$449

Strasburg, VA

$434

Difference

$15.33

less

All Utilities

↓ 3.4%

Charles Town, WV

$361

Strasburg, VA

$349

Difference

$12.33

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$890

To$890

→ $0

1 Bed

From$900

To$900

→ $0

2 Bed

From$1,180

To$1,170

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,640

To$1,570

↓ $70.00

Charles Town, WVZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$900/mo

Strasburg, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$900/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Charles Town, WV

$7,049

Monthly in Strasburg, VA

$451

Difference

Home Values

Charles Town

Strasburg

$402K

Median Value

$336K

↑ +3.7%

YoY Change

↓ -0.6%

↑ +40.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +34.3%

Homes in Strasburg are 17% less expensive than Charles Town

Calculate payment - Charles Town Calculate payment - Strasburg

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $258

Per year

Monthly Difference

$21.46

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.2%

Rate difference

Charles Town, WV

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

West Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.8%

$8.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.4%

$45.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,697/month

$104.4K

Strasburg, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Charles Town, WV Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.7%

Property Tax:0.6%

Strasburg, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Charles Town

Strasburg

45 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

63.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌀🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

27 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

27 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

Before moving from Charles Town, WV to Strasburg, VA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Strasburg, VA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Charles Town, WV. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Charles Town to Strasburg moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Strasburg, VA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Charles Town, WV vs Strasburg, VA

How do the cost estimates for Charles Town, WV and Strasburg, VA compare?

Strasburg, VA has a modeled overall cost index 6.7% lower than Charles Town, WV. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Charles Town, WV, the model estimates $144,587 in Strasburg, VA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Charles Town, WV and Strasburg, VA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,180/month in Charles Town, WV and $1,170/month in Strasburg, VA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between West Virginia and Virginia on TaxTakeHome.com