Sterling vs Winchester
Sterling, Virginia versus Winchester, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Sterling and Winchester score about the same overall (47 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Sterling | Winchester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $118k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $49k |
| Home Value | $458k | $300k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.38% | 11.53% |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.1 in | 40.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.0 in | 23.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 14.5 | 42.4 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.1 | 72.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1310/100k | 1819/100k |
| Property Crime | 2664/100k | 2778/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,058 | 28,103 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 36.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.73 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+39 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 28.4% | 63.9% |
| Black (%) | 6.5% | 9.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 47.1% | 18.7% |
| Asian (%) | 15.2% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.8% | 5.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 9.0/20 | 9.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 41 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.5% | 82.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 153.58 | 59.07 |
| 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 Sterling or Winchester more affordable?
- Winchester has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Sterling's $76k and Winchester's $49k. Median rent is $2k in Sterling versus $1k in Winchester.
- Is Sterling or Winchester safer?
- Sterling has the lower violent crime rate. Sterling reports 1310/100k and Winchester reports 1819/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Sterling or Winchester?
- The median home value is $458k in Sterling and $300k in Winchester, so homes are more affordable in Winchester.