Jobs, pay and daily life in Winchester, 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.
Winchester is a city in Virginia with 27,913 residents. The median household earns $63,974 a year and the median rent is $1,315 a month, which is 24.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Winchester, VA-WV metropolitan area, where BLS counts 67,740 jobs.
How Winchester compares. Among the 100 largest places in Virginia, Winchester is #41 by population, #87 for household income (#1 = highest), #87 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #20 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Winchester City, is #33 of 133 counties for average pay ($62,266).
Winchester has 27,913 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Virginia. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,036 people per square mile. The median age is 36.8, 6% younger than the state median (36.8 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $1,315 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($1,315 against $1,579). Over a year that is 24.7% 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 $343,000, which is 5.4 times the median household income ($63,974); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 43.6% of households own their home, 35% below the state average (43.6% against 67.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Winchester, VA-WV metropolitan area has 67,740 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,070 a year, 8% below the national median ($47,070 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (8,670 jobs, median $44,150); office and administrative support (7,690 jobs, median $45,380); sales and related (6,850 jobs, median $35,580). The area is most specialised in transportation and material moving (1.5 times) and sales and related (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($45,380) and transportation and material moving ($44,150). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Winchester City was 3.7%. 64.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Winchester City; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.5% drive alone, 1.2% use public transit, 5.5% walk, 14.0% work from home. 11.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 36% below the state average (11.3% against 17.6%).
31.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% below the state share (31.3% against 42.2%). 12.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 8% below the state share (12.1% against 13.1%). The poverty rate is 21.5%, 117% above the state rate (21.5% against 9.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (24.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 30°F (-1.0°C). About 1,067 mm (42 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (119 mm) and Jan the driest (62 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: Charles Town (17 miles, rent 15% lower); Front Royal (17 miles, rent 14% lower); Ranson corporation (18 miles, rent 17% higher); Martinsburg (22 miles, rent 13% lower). Rent differences are against Winchester; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Virginia (1,132) →State guide: VirginiaCountry guideWinchester 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,290 | 1.35 | $30,780 | $26,700 | $44,980 | -13% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,840 | 1.49 | $36,170 | $28,050 | $46,540 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,700 | 1.01 | $28,360 | $26,490 | $35,330 | -9% |
| Cashiers | 1,690 | 1.25 | $29,600 | $26,640 | $36,190 | -10% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,630 | 1.11 | $95,650 | $78,710 | $131,810 | -2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,580 | 1.23 | $41,910 | $30,210 | $47,280 | +4% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 1,470 | 4.35 | $45,360 | $39,020 | $59,320 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,460 | 1.62 | $57,460 | $39,160 | $76,840 | -2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,350 | 0.89 | $98,670 | $51,020 | $208,730 | -7% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,130 | 1.00 | $44,460 | $33,010 | $57,100 | -1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 990 | 1.00 | $37,680 | $27,100 | $61,330 | +7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 980 | 0.52 | $29,240 | $26,730 | $40,940 | -18% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 980 | 1.60 | $39,240 | $31,110 | $49,810 | -12% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 970 | 1.01 | $34,070 | $28,220 | $45,570 | -8% |
| Office Clerks, General | 970 | 0.91 | $42,610 | $29,210 | $59,660 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 810 | 1.29 | $39,970 | $30,070 | $50,420 | -5% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 760 | 1.61 | $90,230 | $45,470 | $134,240 | +9% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 730 | 1.20 | $61,200 | $48,970 | $79,480 | -4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 710 | 1.45 | $47,910 | $32,020 | $74,020 | -1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 670 | 1.00 | $48,550 | $33,120 | $76,450 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole Winchester, VA-WV metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,070 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.2% |
| Retail trade | 11.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.1% |
| Manufacturing | 9.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.3% |
| Construction | 6.5% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Other services | 3.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Winchester 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester City | 27,913 | n/a | n/a | 24,937 | 1,480 | $62,266 | +0.5% | 3.7% | 14,340 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,321 | 38.3% | $76,062 | 2.05 |
| Retail trade | 3,699 | 19.4% | $36,563 | 1.49 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,544 | 13.3% | $25,466 | 1.12 |
| Manufacturing | 1,421 | 7.4% | $69,583 | 0.69 |
| Educational services | 1,090 | 5.7% | $57,331 | 2.11 |
| Professional and technical services | 787 | 4.1% | $81,834 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 625 | 3.3% | $48,420 | 0.83 |
| Finance and insurance | 530 | 2.8% | $108,260 | 0.52 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 306 | 1.6% | $23,722 | 0.73 |
| Wholesale trade | 262 | 1.4% | $81,762 | 0.27 |
| Real estate and rental | 214 | 1.1% | $49,087 | 0.55 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 209 | 1.1% | $58,489 | 0.20 |
| Information | 100 | 0.5% | $73,089 | 0.21 |
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 | 71.5% |
| Public transit | 1.2% |
| Walk | 5.5% |
| Work from home | 14.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,974 |
| Income per person | $36,588 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,315 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.7% |
| Median home value | $343,000 |
| Homeowners | 43.6% |
| Poverty rate | 21.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,070 |
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 | 36.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.3% |
| Born abroad | 12.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.0 | 30 | 62 |
| Feb | 0.2 | 32 | 64 |
| Mar | 5.1 | 41 | 77 |
| Apr | 11.6 | 53 | 91 |
| May | 17.2 | 63 | 119 |
| Jun | 22.1 | 72 | 111 |
| Jul | 24.8 | 77 | 107 |
| Aug | 24.1 | 75 | 91 |
| Sep | 20.0 | 68 | 104 |
| Oct | 13.0 | 55 | 88 |
| Nov | 6.5 | 44 | 73 |
| Dec | 1.3 | 34 | 80 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Town | WV | 17 mi | 7,337 | $89,263 | $1,115 |
| Front Royal | VA | 17 mi | 15,296 | $64,838 | $1,135 |
| Ranson corporation | WV | 18 mi | 5,729 | $89,523 | $1,536 |
| Martinsburg | WV | 22 mi | 18,904 | $59,555 | $1,150 |
| Leesburg | VA | 33 mi | 49,171 | $145,205 | $2,105 |
| Brambleton | VA | 37 mi | 24,537 | $238,018 | $2,479 |
| Broadlands | VA | 37 mi | 14,353 | $241,042 | $2,694 |
| Stone Ridge | VA | 37 mi | 16,603 | $187,563 | $2,746 |
| Gainesville | VA | 39 mi | 18,196 | $174,410 | $2,283 |
| Ashburn | VA | 39 mi | 46,026 | $154,978 | $2,455 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
27,913 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,315 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.7% of the median household income.
$63,974 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Winchester City (latest month 2026M09)).
Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.