Jobs, pay and daily life in Staunton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Staunton is a city in Virginia with 25,948 residents. The median household earns $65,581 a year and the median rent is $1,024 a month, which is 18.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 51,640 jobs.
How Staunton compares. Among the 100 largest places in Virginia, Staunton is #43 by population, #96 for remote work (#1 = most), #6 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #83 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Staunton City, is #96 of 133 counties for average pay ($47,917).
Staunton has 25,948 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Virginia. It covers 20 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,303 people per square mile. The median age is 39.9, about the same as the state median (39.9 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $1,024 a month (rent plus utilities), 35% below the state median ($1,024 against $1,579). Over a year that is 18.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $259,200, which is 4.0 times the median household income ($65,581); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 60.9% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (60.9% against 67.3%).
The Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metropolitan area has 51,640 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,040 a year, 6% below the national median ($48,040 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (6,690 jobs, median $45,850); production (5,750 jobs, median $51,150); office and administrative support (4,940 jobs, median $45,230). The area is most specialised in production (2.0 times) and transportation and material moving (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($51,150) and transportation and material moving ($45,850). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Staunton City was 3.1%. 59.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Staunton City; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.7% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 3.9% walk, 8.8% work from home. 8.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 51% below the state average (8.6% against 17.6%).
37.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 11% below the state share (37.7% against 42.2%). 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 73% below the state share (3.5% against 13.1%). The poverty rate is 12.4%, 25% above the state rate (12.4% against 9.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (24.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 32°F (0.0°C). About 1,095 mm (43 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (113 mm) and Jan the driest (65 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Waynesboro (11 miles, similar rent); Harrisonburg (22 miles, rent 16% higher); Charlottesville (32 miles, rent 50% higher); Lynchburg (53 miles, rent 5% higher). Rent differences are against Staunton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Virginia (1,132) →State guide: VirginiaCountry guideStaunton CityVirginia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,132 federal postings open in Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Virginia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,880 | 1.92 | $47,310 | $35,880 | $50,760 | +18% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,520 | 1.17 | $33,440 | $27,640 | $48,880 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,500 | 1.33 | $92,390 | $80,010 | $107,130 | -5% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,470 | 1.15 | $29,310 | $27,100 | $35,530 | -6% |
| Cashiers | 1,330 | 1.30 | $29,530 | $26,850 | $35,750 | -10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,240 | 1.32 | $36,880 | $29,650 | $50,470 | -1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,140 | 1.66 | $57,200 | $39,060 | $73,400 | -2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,090 | 0.76 | $28,520 | $26,210 | $37,130 | -20% |
| General and Operations Managers | 980 | 0.84 | $96,450 | $49,360 | $188,430 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 900 | 1.10 | $43,630 | $30,290 | $62,010 | -3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 1.10 | $36,270 | $29,390 | $48,220 | -2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 690 | 0.92 | $37,910 | $27,310 | $61,950 | +8% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 690 | 5.49 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Light Truck Drivers | 670 | 2.06 | $42,260 | $28,050 | $96,760 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 640 | 1.33 | $42,490 | $35,560 | $46,600 | +1% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 560 | 1.21 | $60,680 | $49,050 | $90,740 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 530 | 1.43 | $47,750 | $33,920 | $78,750 | -2% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 500 | 1.07 | $35,900 | $28,950 | $43,650 | -4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 490 | 0.96 | $48,860 | $31,200 | $81,850 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 480 | 1.01 | $36,710 | $30,300 | $49,720 | -0% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 980 | 0.84 | $96,450 | $49,360 | $188,430 | -9% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,500 | 1.33 | $92,390 | $80,010 | $107,130 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 560 | 1.21 | $60,680 | $49,050 | $90,740 | -5% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,140 | 1.66 | $57,200 | $39,060 | $73,400 | -2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 530 | 1.43 | $47,750 | $33,920 | $78,750 | -2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,880 | 1.92 | $47,310 | $35,880 | $50,760 | +18% |
| Office Clerks, General | 900 | 1.10 | $43,630 | $30,290 | $62,010 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 640 | 1.33 | $42,490 | $35,560 | $46,600 | +1% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 670 | 2.06 | $42,260 | $28,050 | $96,760 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 690 | 0.92 | $37,910 | $27,310 | $61,950 | +8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,240 | 1.32 | $36,880 | $29,650 | $50,470 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 1.10 | $36,270 | $29,390 | $48,220 | -2% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 500 | 1.07 | $35,900 | $28,950 | $43,650 | -4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,520 | 1.17 | $33,440 | $27,640 | $48,880 | -6% |
| Cashiers | 1,330 | 1.30 | $29,530 | $26,850 | $35,750 | -10% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,470 | 1.15 | $29,310 | $27,100 | $35,530 | -6% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,090 | 0.76 | $28,520 | $26,210 | $37,130 | -20% |
These figures are for the whole Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,040 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.9% |
| Retail trade | 12.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.9% |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.0% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 4.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Construction | 3.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Staunton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton City | 25,948 | n/a | n/a | 11,440 | 928 | $47,917 | +0.8% | 3.1% | 13,315 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,619 | 20.1% | $43,514 | 0.99 |
| Retail trade | 1,514 | 18.8% | $32,424 | 1.33 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,399 | 17.4% | $24,666 | 1.34 |
| Educational services | 559 | 6.9% | $39,970 | 2.36 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 528 | 6.6% | $34,997 | 1.53 |
| Management of companies | 398 | 4.9% | $73,862 | 2.06 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 388 | 4.8% | $47,035 | 0.80 |
| Professional and technical services | 358 | 4.4% | $70,419 | 0.45 |
| Finance and insurance | 344 | 4.3% | $92,230 | 0.74 |
| Manufacturing | 323 | 4.0% | $59,327 | 0.34 |
| Administrative and waste services | 284 | 3.5% | $36,010 | 0.42 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 132 | 1.6% | $22,284 | 0.69 |
| Real estate and rental | 130 | 1.6% | $53,802 | 0.73 |
| Information | 72 | 0.9% | $54,514 | 0.34 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.7% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 3.9% |
| Work from home | 8.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,581 |
| Income per person | $36,608 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,024 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.7% |
| Median home value | $259,200 |
| Homeowners | 60.9% |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,040 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 37.7% |
| Born abroad | 3.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.0 | 32 | 65 |
| Feb | 1.5 | 35 | 66 |
| Mar | 6.2 | 43 | 81 |
| Apr | 12.4 | 54 | 93 |
| May | 17.6 | 64 | 113 |
| Jun | 22.5 | 72 | 106 |
| Jul | 24.9 | 77 | 99 |
| Aug | 24.2 | 76 | 99 |
| Sep | 20.2 | 68 | 109 |
| Oct | 13.4 | 56 | 95 |
| Nov | 7.0 | 45 | 83 |
| Dec | 2.2 | 36 | 86 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesboro | VA | 11 mi | 22,841 | $59,994 | $1,020 |
| Harrisonburg | VA | 22 mi | 51,392 | $62,254 | $1,184 |
| Charlottesville | VA | 32 mi | 45,437 | $74,824 | $1,540 |
| Lynchburg | VA | 53 mi | 79,497 | $57,947 | $1,073 |
| Culpeper | VA | 61 mi | 20,794 | $94,721 | $1,416 |
| Elkins | WV | 68 mi | 6,811 | $44,217 | $903 |
| Front Royal | VA | 71 mi | 15,296 | $64,838 | $1,135 |
| Hollins | VA | 74 mi | 17,097 | $77,456 | $1,193 |
| Roanoke | VA | 78 mi | 98,355 | $55,378 | $996 |
| Lewisburg | WV | 78 mi | 3,835 | $49,560 | $893 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
25,948 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,024 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.7% of the median household income.
$65,581 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Staunton City (latest month 2026M09)).
Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.