What income do you need to buy a house in Sterling, VA?
It takes about $171,000/yr to afford the typical Sterling, VA home ($638K, +0.8% past year) at today's rates. Starter homes run around $489K. See if you can afford a house in Sterling (2026 data) — free, no signup.
Market snapshot (2026-07)
- Income needed to buy the typical home: about $171,000/yr (28% front-end ratio, 20% down, 6.76% 30-yr fixed, VA property tax and insurance)
- Typical home value: $638K (Zillow ZHVI, 2026-07)
- 1-year change: +0.8%
- Bottom 35% of homes: $489K
- Top 35% of homes start around: $866K
- Typical rent: $2,689/mo
- Median household income: $123K
- Price-to-income ratio: 5.2
- Estimated payment on the typical home: $3,311/mo principal & interest (20% down, 6.76% 30-yr fixed)
Nearby housing markets
The most affordable cities to buy a house in Virginia
Home values are Zillow Group public data (ZHVI, updated monthly); income and population are US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates. Estimates only — not financial advice.
i wanna buy a house .com — type a city, see its market, find out what you can afford.