Is Stuart, VA a Good Place to Live?
Stuart is a small town of 1,533 in Virginia, with a median household income of $34,792 and a 8.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is 11% below the national average.
Strengths: Stuart stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Stuart is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Stuart 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: 89.0Stuart's overall cost of living index is 89.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Stuart costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Stuart, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $166,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $504 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $34,792 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageStuart's violent crime rate is 266.9 per 100,000 residents — 30% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Stuart is served primarily by Patrick County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Stuart, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Patrick County Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 80.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Stuart sees average highs of 48.1°F in January and 86.1°F in July, with 52.3 inches of annual precipitation and 6.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Stuart, VA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 48.1°F |
| Average High — July | 86.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Stuart, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,533 | — |
| Median Age | 54.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 34.0% | 16.8% |