$100,000 in Virginia
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Virginia.
Occupations near $100,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $100,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer (senior) | entry-level | $100,000 |
| UX designer | mid-career | $99,520 |
| Mechanical engineer | mid-career | $99,000 |
| Elementary teacher | senior | $99,000 |
| Investment banker (analyst) | mid-career | $102,050 |
| Civil engineer | mid-career | $95,890 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $100,000 typically means a software engineer (senior) or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Virginia.
Two earners at $50,000 each combined = $100,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $100,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Virginia
At $100,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 19% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $100,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $100,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $269,813. Virginia median home value is $357,500 — you can afford 75% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $100,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Virginia's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia (current) | $89,931 | +11% | 55th |
| West Virginia | $56,191 | +78% | 74th |
| Kentucky | $64,452 | +55% | 69th |
| Tennessee | $67,631 | +48% | 67th |
| North Carolina | $70,804 | +41% | 65th |
| Maryland | $101,652 | -2% | 49th |
| District of Columbia | $108,210 | -8% | 47th |
$100,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Virginia
Common questions
- Is $100,000 a good household income in Virginia?
- It's at roughly the 55th percentile for Virginia after adjusting for the state's median income ($89,931). Nationally that's about the 60th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $100,000 compare to the Virginia median?
- It's 11% above the Virginia median household income of $89,931 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Virginia households earn less than $89,931, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.