Photo: Jquesen2003 · Public domainMeasured against area pay, Stuart costs less to live in than 68% of U.S. towns
Up 3% in a year, 54% below the Virginia typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of Patrick County, VA ($53K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 2 sales in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across Patrick County earn ($53K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 3.4 years of area income, and 49% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $189Ktypical home, 54% below the Virginia typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $910a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 3.4 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$53K, Patrick County income
- 13%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 49%of renters pay 30%+ of income for housing; across Virginia: 49%Census 2020–24
- 14%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What stands out about housing in Stuart
What’s behind Stuart’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Stuart is more affordable than 68% of U.S. towns. The share of households paying 30%+ for housing pulls the grade down most; rent holds it up.
Values have lagged Virginia: the typical Stuart home is up 9.6% in five years, against 23.5% statewide (Zillow).
Up 9.6% in five years
Slower than Virginia (23.5%).
Show as a table
| January | Stuart | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $133,000 | $251,000 |
| 2018 | $139,000 | $261,000 |
| 2019 | $139,000 | $269,000 |
| 2020 | $142,000 | $282,000 |
| 2021 | $159,000 | $309,000 |
| 2022 | $177,000 | $342,000 |
| 2023 | $179,000 | $364,000 |
| 2024 | $190,000 | $384,000 |
| 2025 | $194,000 | $402,000 |
| 2026 | $185,000 | $408,000 |
| September 2026 | $189,000 | $412,000 |
A typical Stuart home worth $133K in October 2016 is worth about $189K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A year’s rent takes 13% of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Stuart’s own median, or type yours.
That covers a typical Stuart home, with $29K to spare.
A two-bedroom rents for about $910 a month here, $160 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Stuart’s typical property tax (0.54% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $910
Renters already here pay a median of $589, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Patrick County, VA): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Property tax runs below the Virginia norm
The median bill is $980 (Virginia: $2,790), 0.54% of a home’s value a year, against 0.73% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Stuart and its neighbors
One source per column.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart | B+ | $189K | $183K | 0.54% | $910 |
Questions about the cost of living in Stuart
Is Stuart expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Stuart costs less than 68% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 3.4 years of the median household income of Patrick County, VA ($53K).
How much does a house cost in Stuart?
About $189K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 3.0% in a year. The Virginia typical home is $412K.
What salary do you need to live in Stuart?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $46,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,070 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $36,000.
How much is rent in Stuart?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $910 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $589 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Stuart?
The median bill is $980 a year, 0.54% of the median home value (Virginia: $2,790, 0.73%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Stuart going up?
Yes: up 3.0% in the past year and 9.6% in five years, against 23.5% across Virginia (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Stuart buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.