Is Monterey, VA a Good Place to Live?
Monterey is a small town of 164 in Virginia, with a median household income of $56,144 . Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.
Strengths: Monterey stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Monterey is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Monterey city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.7Monterey's overall cost of living index is 93.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Monterey costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Monterey, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $140,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,007 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $56,144 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Monterey is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Monterey is served primarily by Highland County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Monterey, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Highland County Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 8.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Monterey sees average highs of 38.8°F in January and 79.5°F in July, with 46.9 inches of annual precipitation and 39.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Monterey, VA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 38.8°F |
| Average High — July | 79.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Monterey, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 164 | — |
| Median Age | 76.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 5.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 66.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Monterey
Monterey, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code: