The typical owner-occupied home in Rural Retreat is worth about $185,800, 52% below the Virginia median of $383,700 and 44% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $952 a year in property taxes, about 0.51% of their home's value, lower than the Virginia rate of 0.73%. The median household earns $61,979 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (4.1 times for Virginia). 82% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Rural Retreat at a glance
| Rural Retreat | Virginia | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $185,800 | $383,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $952 | $2,790 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.51% | 0.73% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $61,979 | $93,170 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 82% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 52% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,223 | $2,127 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 17.9% | 20.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $800 | $1,579 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.6% | 29.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1976 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.5% | 8.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,644 | 8,705,170 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Rural Retreat
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rural Retreat home of $185,800 with 20% down costs about $1,156 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,466, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $49,555 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 22% of the median Rural Retreat household income of $61,979; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $232,000.
The median rent here is $800 a month, so owning the median home costs about $356 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $37,160 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $148,640 |
| Principal and interest | $1,000 |
| Property taxes (0.51% a year) | $79 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $77 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,156 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,503 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $182,435 |
| Principal and interest | $1,227 |
| Property taxes (0.51% a year) | $79 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $77 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $82 |
| Total per month | $1,466 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Rural Retreat
What is the median home value in Rural Retreat?
About $185,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Rural Retreat?
Homeowners pay a median $952 a year, which is about 0.51% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Rural Retreat?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,156 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $49,555 a year.
More about Rural Retreat
- Mortgage Refinance in Rural Retreat
- Debt Relief in Rural Retreat
- Home Equity Loans in Rural Retreat
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data