How taxes work in Virginia
Sales tax. Virginia charges a 5.3% statewide sales tax, and counties, cities and special districts add their own on top — which is why the average combined rate of about 5.77% is the number that matters at the till. Virginia cut its state grocery tax in 2023; a 1% local grocery tax remains in most areas.
Property tax. At an average effective rate of about 0.8%, a $350,000 home in Virginia carries roughly $2,800 a year in property tax before exemptions. That is near the middle of US states. Local assessors set actual bills, so verify with the county for any specific property.
Income tax. Progressive, top rate 5.75% (reached at a low income threshold). If you are self-employed in Virginia, you still owe federal self-employment tax plus quarterly state estimates where applicable.
Sales tax · average combined
Property tax · average effective
Chart: DailyFinance.tools · Rates are reviewed averages from our state tax dataset — your exact local rate may differ.
How Virginia compares with similar states
The states closest to Virginia on average combined sales tax. Property tax is the average effective rate; income tax shows the structure, not a single rate.
| State | Combined sales tax | Property tax | Income tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia (this page) | 5.77% | 0.8% | Progressive |
| Kentucky | 6% | 0.86% | Flat |
| Maryland | 6% | 1.06% | Progressive |
| Michigan | 6% | 1.54% | Flat |
| Wisconsin | 5.7% | 1.53% | Progressive |
| All-state average (51 entries) | 6.61% | 1.04% | — |
What this means for your money in Virginia
Property tax in Virginia sits near the middle nationally: an average effective rate of 0.8% (rank 32 of 51; all-state average 1.04%). On a $400,000 home that is about $3,200 a year, or $266.67 a month through escrow. No single tax dominates the picture here — the state's overall position is the sum of three middling taxes rather than one extreme one.
Read together: Virginia combines an average combined sales tax of 5.77% (rank 42 of 51), an average effective property tax of 0.8% (rank 32 of 51) and progressive income tax brackets. A household comparing states should compare all three against its own pattern — a high earner who rents weighs the income tax most; a homeowner on a fixed income weighs the property tax most.
Major cities in Virginia
Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, Newport News. Combined sales-tax rates differ between these cities — sometimes by more than a full percentage point inside the same state — because county and city layers stack on the state base. The Virginia sales tax guide breaks down the calculation and links the calculator where you can enter your exact local rate.
Calculators for Virginia residents
- Virginia Sales Tax Guide & Examples — what you actually pay, with worked amounts.
- Sales Tax & VAT Calculator — add or extract tax at any rate, including your exact Virginia local rate.
- Mortgage Calculator — include Virginia property tax in the monthly payment.
- Property Tax Calculator — estimate a specific property's bill.
- Self-Employment Tax Calculator — federal SE tax for Virginia freelancers.