Smyth County, Virginia
Among the top 1% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A+, better than 100% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 34% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
- top 1% for cost of living
- top 10% for sales tax
Smyth County is a county in Virginia with about 30,000 residents. It grades A+ for affordability and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include cost of living, sales tax, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on broadband access and walkability.
Official websitesmythcounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
v.cold
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
68%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in3.0 in
humid 79%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$45k12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$40kbetter than 99% of US counties
Home Value$121k26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$691better than 81% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 89% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.63%better than 73% of US counties
Income Tax5.80%better than 29% of US counties
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.38%better than 52% of US counties
Unemployment3.3%better than 78% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)34°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.0 in62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.0 inbetter than 53% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 31% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 65% of US counties
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 76% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk57.8better than 41% of US counties
School Quality46.2better than 31% of US counties
Violent Crime794/100kbetter than 49% of US counties
Property Crime1231/100kbetter than 35% of US counties
Community
Population29,79954th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.283rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.098th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9837th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5774th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)93.7%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.7%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.3%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.9%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 64% of US counties
Walkability5.1/20better than 22% of US counties
Airport Distance116 mibetter than 39% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access77.7%better than 23% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.70better than 71% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 75% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Smyth County an affordable place to live?
- Smyth County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $40k, better than 99% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Smyth County?
- The median home value in Smyth County is $121k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Smyth County?
- Median household income in Smyth County is $45k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Smyth County?
- Median gross rent in Smyth County is $691 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Smyth County safe?
- Smyth County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 794/100k (better than 49%). Property crime is 1231/100k.
- What is the weather like in Smyth County?
- Smyth County averages 73°F in July and 34°F in January, with 47.0 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Smyth County?
- Public-school quality in Smyth County is below average, scoring better than 31% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Smyth County?
- The average one-way commute in Smyth County is 23 min.
Other counties in Virginia
Explore Virginia
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)