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Cost & Benefits

Most affordable towns in Virginia, 2026

Bedford is the most affordable ranked town in Virginia. Rent, the regional price level, taxes, and electricity are 22.5% each. Gasoline is 10%. A lower score is more affordable.

Summary

197
Towns ranked in Virginia.
Bedford
Number 1 in Virginia. Rent is 14.1% of income. National rank 315.
19.4%
Median rent share among ranked towns in Virginia.
0
Ranked Virginia towns in the national top 100.
Bailey's Crossroads
Least affordable ranked town in Virginia. Rent is 27.4% of income. National rank 5087.

Gasoline

$4.035

per gallon. EIA does not publish a Virginia price. This is the Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C) price for the week of October 12, 2026. At 12,000 miles a year and 25 mpg, that is $1,936.80 a year for every ranked town in Virginia.

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Cost & Benefits. "2026 Most Affordable Towns Index: Virginia." October 16, 2026. https://costandbenefits.com/reports/most-affordable-towns-2026/virginia

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Benefits and taxes in Virginia

Top 25

  1. #1 in Virginia · National #315

    Bedford

    Rent share 14.1% · Price level 89.4 · Score 0.235

    Median rent is $828 a month and median income is $70,288, so rent is 14.1% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Lynchburg, VA metro price level is 89.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  2. #2 in Virginia · National #644

    Madison Heights

    Rent share 17.4% · Price level 89.4 · Score 0.273

    Median rent is $871 a month and median income is $60,215, so rent is 17.4% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Lynchburg, VA metro price level is 89.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  3. #3 in Virginia · National #654

    Timberlake

    Rent share 17.2% · Price level 89.4 · Score 0.274

    Median rent is $1,083 a month and median income is $75,657, so rent is 17.2% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Lynchburg, VA metro price level is 89.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  4. #4 in Virginia · National #794

    Abingdon

    Rent share 18.4% · Price level 86.4 · Score 0.287

    Median rent is $838 a month and median income is $54,544, so rent is 18.4% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro price level is 86.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  5. #5 in Virginia · National #795

    Bristol

    Rent share 19.1% · Price level 86.4 · Score 0.287

    Median rent is $801 a month and median income is $50,404, so rent is 19.1% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro price level is 86.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  6. #6 in Virginia · National #952

    Pulaski

    Rent share 17.8% · Price level 92.7 · Score 0.300

    Median rent is $736 a month and median income is $49,491, so rent is 17.8% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro price level is 92.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  7. #7 in Virginia · National #1091

    Stuarts Draft

    Rent share 18.2% · Price level 91.1 · Score 0.310

    Median rent is $1,201 a month and median income is $79,332, so rent is 18.2% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro price level is 91.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  8. #8 in Virginia · National #1158

    Wyndham

    Rent share 11.5% · Price level 97.9 · Score 0.314

    Median rent is $2,258 a month and median income is $235,250, so rent is 11.5% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Richmond, VA metro price level is 97.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  9. #9 in Virginia · National #1206

    Smithfield

    Rent share 12.7% · Price level 97.9 · Score 0.317

    Median rent is $1,195 a month and median income is $113,158, so rent is 12.7% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro price level is 97.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  10. #10 in Virginia · National #1246

    Staunton

    Rent share 18.7% · Price level 91.1 · Score 0.320

    Median rent is $1,024 a month and median income is $65,581, so rent is 18.7% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro price level is 91.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  11. #11 in Virginia · National #1284

    Vinton

    Rent share 18.2% · Price level 93.6 · Score 0.322

    Median rent is $992 a month and median income is $65,445, so rent is 18.2% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Roanoke, VA metro price level is 93.6 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  12. #12 in Virginia · National #1298

    Christiansburg

    Rent share 18.4% · Price level 92.7 · Score 0.323

    Median rent is $1,181 a month and median income is $77,147, so rent is 18.4% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro price level is 92.7 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  13. #13 in Virginia · National #1360

    Forest

    Rent share 19.3% · Price level 89.4 · Score 0.327

    Median rent is $1,315 a month and median income is $81,552, so rent is 19.3% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Lynchburg, VA metro price level is 89.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  14. #14 in Virginia · National #1380

    Cave Spring

    Rent share 17.6% · Price level 93.6 · Score 0.329

    Median rent is $1,285 a month and median income is $87,539, so rent is 17.6% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Roanoke, VA metro price level is 93.6 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  15. #15 in Virginia · National #1451

    Hollins

    Rent share 18.5% · Price level 93.6 · Score 0.334

    Median rent is $1,193 a month and median income is $77,456, so rent is 18.5% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Roanoke, VA metro price level is 93.6 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  16. #16 in Virginia · National #1595

    Innsbrook

    Rent share 15.4% · Price level 97.9 · Score 0.342

    Median rent is $1,661 a month and median income is $129,436, so rent is 15.4% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Richmond, VA metro price level is 97.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  17. #17 in Virginia · National #1683

    Woodlake

    Rent share 16.4% · Price level 97.9 · Score 0.349

    Median rent is $1,902 a month and median income is $139,344, so rent is 16.4% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Richmond, VA metro price level is 97.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  18. #18 in Virginia · National #1693

    Waynesboro

    Rent share 20.4% · Price level 91.1 · Score 0.349

    Median rent is $1,020 a month and median income is $59,994, so rent is 20.4% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro price level is 91.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  19. #19 in Virginia · National #1803

    Short Pump

    Rent share 16.0% · Price level 97.9 · Score 0.357

    Median rent is $1,847 a month and median income is $138,845, so rent is 16.0% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Richmond, VA metro price level is 97.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  20. #20 in Virginia · National #1891

    Lexington

    Rent share 15.3% · Price level 101.1 · Score 0.363

    Median rent is $1,081 a month and median income is $84,517, so rent is 15.3% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Virginia state price level is 101.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  21. #21 in Virginia · National #1954

    Woodstock

    Rent share 15.8% · Price level 101.1 · Score 0.367

    Median rent is $1,005 a month and median income is $76,100, so rent is 15.8% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Virginia state price level is 101.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is rent share and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  22. #22 in Virginia · National #1956

    Gloucester Point

    Rent share 17.2% · Price level 97.9 · Score 0.367

    Median rent is $1,062 a month and median income is $74,001, so rent is 17.2% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro price level is 97.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

  23. #23 in Virginia · National #1968

    Lynchburg

    Rent share 22.2% · Price level 89.4 · Score 0.368

    Median rent is $1,073 a month and median income is $57,947, so rent is 22.2% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Lynchburg, VA metro price level is 89.4 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is regional price level and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  24. #24 in Virginia · National #1972

    Collinsville

    Rent share 17.2% · Price level 101.1 · Score 0.368

    Median rent is $746 a month and median income is $52,158, so rent is 17.2% of income, under the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Virginia state price level is 101.1 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  25. #25 in Virginia · National #2038

    Salem

    Rent share 20.4% · Price level 93.6 · Score 0.373

    Median rent is $1,133 a month and median income is $66,725, so rent is 20.4% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Roanoke, VA metro price level is 93.6 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is electricity price.

Least affordable 10

  1. #197 in Virginia · National #5087

    Bailey's Crossroads

    Rent share 27.4% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.611

    Median rent is $2,021 a month and median income is $88,483, so rent is 27.4% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  2. #196 in Virginia · National #5075

    Hutchison

    Rent share 27.1% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.610

    Median rent is $2,388 a month and median income is $105,651, so rent is 27.1% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  3. #195 in Virginia · National #5061

    Sudley

    Rent share 27.2% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.609

    Median rent is $2,139 a month and median income is $94,309, so rent is 27.2% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  4. #194 in Virginia · National #5045

    Bull Run

    Rent share 26.8% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.606

    Median rent is $2,002 a month and median income is $89,679, so rent is 26.8% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  5. #193 in Virginia · National #5032

    Springfield

    Rent share 25.3% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.606

    Median rent is $2,656 a month and median income is $125,999, so rent is 25.3% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  6. #192 in Virginia · National #4977

    Huntington

    Rent share 24.8% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.599

    Median rent is $2,062 a month and median income is $99,956, so rent is 24.8% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  7. #191 in Virginia · National #4936

    Hybla Valley

    Rent share 24.2% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.595

    Median rent is $1,631 a month and median income is $80,959, so rent is 24.2% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

  8. #190 in Virginia · National #4785

    Dumfries

    Rent share 25.2% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.583

    Median rent is $1,732 a month and median income is $82,355, so rent is 25.2% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  9. #189 in Virginia · National #4764

    Seven Corners

    Rent share 25.3% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.581

    Median rent is $1,632 a month and median income is $77,400, so rent is 25.3% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is rent share.

  10. #188 in Virginia · National #4757

    Manassas Park

    Rent share 24.9% · Price level 108.9 · Score 0.580

    Median rent is $2,146 a month and median income is $103,250, so rent is 24.9% of income, over the 19.4% median for ranked towns in Virginia. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro price level is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Residential electricity is 17.55 cents per kWh. Gasoline is $4.035 a gallon (Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)). Among ranked U.S. towns, its lightest mark is gasoline price and its heaviest mark is regional price level.

The formula

A lower score is more affordable. Rent share, the regional price level, taxes, and electricity each count 22.5%. Gasoline counts 10%. Those weights are our choice. Gasoline stays at 10% because the miles figure is one national standard, not a measured town commute. This is not a government standard.

A percentile is the share of ranked towns with a strictly lower number, divided by the number of ranked towns minus one. The lowest number scores 0. Tied numbers share a percentile.

  1. Rent share = (median monthly rent × 12) / median household income. Both figures are the Census 2020–2024 medians for that place.
  2. RPP-adjusted cost is the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. A basket priced at 100 for the U.S. average costs this many dollars in the town's area. We use the metro index when the county is in a metro BEA publishes. Otherwise we use the state index and say so. This index includes housing, so housing also shows up in the rent share.
  3. Tax burden is the average of three percentiles. Income-tax share is state income tax plus the stored 2023 local AGI add-on, divided by the town's median household income, on a joint return. Property share is the state's median effective property-tax rate times the town's median home value, divided by income. Sales rate is the combined state and average local sales-tax rate. We do not turn the sales rate into dollars, because that would require a shopping basket we do not have.
  4. Electricity is the state residential price in cents per kilowatt-hour. Every town in a state shares it. We do not guess how many kilowatt-hours a home uses.
  5. Gasoline is the EIA retail price for all grades and all formulations, in dollars per gallon. Where EIA publishes a state series, we use that state. Every other state uses the PADD region EIA assigns to it. Census does not publish commuting miles for these towns, so annual gas spend is 12,000 miles a year divided by 25 miles per gallon, times the price. That is 480 gallons, the same for every town. Those miles are our standard, not an ACS figure and not a government mileage rule. Because the gallons do not change, the gas percentile is the percentile of the price.

    Weekly prices are for the week of October 12, 2026, from the EIA workbook released October 14, 2026. File: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/xls/pswrgvwall.xls. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon use West Coast (PADD 5) Except California. That series is not in the weekly workbook, so those five use the monthly price dated September 15, 2026. File: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_a_epm0_pte_dpgal_m.htm.

    • State series, week of October 12, 2026: California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington.
    • Central Atlantic (PADD 1B), week of October 12, 2026: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
    • Gulf Coast (PADD 3), week of October 12, 2026: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico.
    • Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C), week of October 12, 2026: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia.
    • Midwest (PADD 2), week of October 12, 2026: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin.
    • New England (PADD 1A), week of October 12, 2026: Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.
    • Rocky Mountain (PADD 4), week of October 12, 2026: Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming.
    • West Coast (PADD 5) Except California, September 15, 2026: Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon.

Score = 0.225 × rent percentile + 0.225 × price-level percentile + 0.225 × tax score + 0.225 × electricity percentile + 0.10 × gasoline percentile. Rank 1 is the lowest score. If scores tie, the lower rent share wins, then the lower price level, then the place slug in A-to-Z order.

Questions

What is the most affordable town in Virginia in this index?

Bedford is number 1 of 197 ranked towns in Virginia. Median rent is 14.1% of median income. Its national rank is 315.

How many towns in Virginia were ranked?

197 towns in Virginia have at least 5,000 people and published Census rent, income, and home value. Places missing one of those figures are left out.

Does this ranking approve benefits in Virginia?

No. Cost & Benefits does not approve or deny benefits. The score is a cost comparison only.