Reston vs Sterling
Reston, Virginia versus Sterling, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Reston and Sterling score about the same overall (45 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Reston | Sterling |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $136k | $118k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $76k |
| Home Value | $592k | $458k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.04% | 0.94% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.25% | 11.38% |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.4 in | 45.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.5 in | 21.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 9.1 | 14.5 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.1 | 79.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1310/100k | 1310/100k |
| Property Crime | 2664/100k | 2664/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 62,339 | 31,058 |
| Median Age | 40.1 | 35.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.73 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+39 | D+39 |
| White (%) | 58.9% | 28.4% |
| Black (%) | 9.5% | 6.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 14.1% | 47.1% |
| Asian (%) | 11.5% | 15.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.9% | 2.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 13.8/20 | 9.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.1% | 94.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 67.85 | 153.58 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Reston or Sterling more affordable?
- Sterling has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Reston's $76k and Sterling's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Reston versus $2k in Sterling.
- Is Reston or Sterling safer?
- Sterling has the lower violent crime rate. Reston reports 1310/100k and Sterling reports 1310/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Reston or Sterling?
- The median home value is $592k in Reston and $458k in Sterling, so homes are more affordable in Sterling.