Why Buy a Home in Virginia Beach? 2027 Buyer's Guide

Virginia Beach tops many Hampton Roads buyers' lists for four practical reasons. It has the lowest real estate tax rate of the five South Hampton Roads cities ($0.97 per $100 of assessed value for FY 2026-27), 38 miles of public beaches, a large school division with several of the region's top-rated schools, and two Navy installations inside the city limits. The tradeoff is price. In September 2026 the median Virginia Beach home sold for $442,500, compared with $410,000 in Chesapeake and $331,000 in Norfolk (VaHome analysis of REIN MLS data, September 2026). This 2027 guide covers what that premium buys in Virginia's most populous city (453,737 residents, U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2025) and what to check before you buy.

Reason	Detail
Coastline	38 miles of Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay beaches
Schools	Kellam 9.0; First Colonial, Cox, Ocean Lakes, Salem 8.2 (VaHome School Score, 2025-26)
Tax rate	$0.97/$100 (FY 2026-27), lowest of the five South Hampton Roads cities
Military proximity	NAS Oceana + JEB Little Creek-Fort Story inside city; about 20-30 min to NSN from Kings Grant/Great Neck
Town Center	Walkable urban core inside otherwise-suburban city
Inventory range	From 19 homes under $200K to Sandbridge listings up to $6.7M (Oct 29, 2026)
Outdoor lifestyle	First Landing State Park, Pleasure House Point, Back Bay NWR

Beaches, parks & outdoor lifestyle

Guinness World Records lists Virginia Beach as the largest pleasure beach, citing 28 miles of Atlantic beachfront and 10 miles of Chesapeake Bay frontage. That is the same 38 miles the city's tourism office uses. The shoreline is not one strip: the three-mile resort-area boardwalk, the calmer bay beaches along Shore Drive, and Sandbridge at the southern end each have a different feel and a different price level.

Public land is a large part of the appeal. First Landing State Park sits at Cape Henry on the bay, Pleasure House Point is a protected natural area off Shore Drive, and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park cover the barrier spit south of Sandbridge.

Public schools and school scores

Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) serves the entire city, with 87 schools in the NCES 2025-26 directory and 64,731 students in 2024-25. VaHome scores every school from public Virginia Department of Education data (VaHome School Score, 2025-26 data). Among the 11 high schools, Floyd Kellam scores 9.0 out of 10; First Colonial, Frank W. Cox, Ocean Lakes and Salem each score 8.2; and Princess Anne scores 8.1. The division's lowest high school score is 4.8, which is why the zoned school for a specific address matters more than the division's overall reputation.

Attendance zones are assigned by address and can change, so confirm a home's zoned schools with VBCPS before you write an offer. Compare every school on the Virginia Beach school scores page or read the Virginia Beach high schools comparison guide.

Low real estate tax

The general real estate tax rate is $0.97 per $100 of assessed value for FY 2026-27 (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), per the City Real Estate Assessor. That is the lowest of the five South Hampton Roads cities: Chesapeake is $1.01 (including its mosquito-control levy), Suffolk $1.06, Norfolk $1.23 and Portsmouth $1.24, all FY 2026-27. Among all Hampton Roads cities only Williamsburg is lower, at $0.62, and York County's rate is $0.78 for the 2026 tax year.

On a home assessed at the September 2026 median sale price of $442,500, that works out to about $4,292 a year before any exemptions or relief. Two caveats. Your bill follows the assessed value, which the city resets every year and which can differ from your purchase price. And Sandbridge and the Central Business District South at Town Center are special service districts with their own rates. Bills are due in two installments, December 5 and June 5. Look up any address on the Virginia Beach property search page.

Military installations and commutes

Two installations sit inside the city. Military OneSource describes NAS Oceana as a Master Jet Base supporting Atlantic Fleet strike fighter squadrons; it lies just south of I-264, with its Dam Neck Annex about 3.5 miles farther along Oceana Boulevard. Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, formed in 2009 from Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and the Army's Fort Story, sits on the Chesapeake Bay side of the city and houses and trains the nation's expeditionary forces. Naval Station Norfolk is just over the line in Norfolk; VaHome's Naval Station Norfolk commute guide puts Kings Grant and Great Neck at about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic and gate.

See the base guides for NAS Oceana and JEB Little Creek-Fort Story, or browse VA-loan-friendly homes across Hampton Roads.

Walkable Town Center

Town Center, along Virginia Beach Boulevard next to I-264, is the city's walkable core: mid-rise offices, apartments and condos above street-level restaurants and shops. It is also a special service district (Central Business District South), so check its separate tax rate before you compare a condo there with one elsewhere in the city.

Prices and the range of homes

In September 2026, 502 Virginia Beach homes closed at a median of $442,500 and $251 per square foot, with a median 17 days on market. At the time of the report, 1,076 homes were for sale, about 2.1 months of supply. Monthly medians from March through September 2026 ranged from $407,945 in April to $448,000 in June (VaHome analysis of REIN MLS data, September 2026). The full series is in the Virginia Beach housing market report.

The spread is wide. As of October 29, 2026, VaHome counted 19 homes listed under $200,000, at a median list price of $185,000. At the top end, Sandbridge had active listings from $179,000 to $6.7 million and a 12-month median sale price of $1,057,500. Browse current homes for sale in Virginia Beach, VA, or compare areas in our Hampton Roads neighborhood comparison.

Regional access

I-264 runs from the Oceanfront through Town Center to Norfolk, and I-64 connects to the Peninsula through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Norfolk International Airport sits just over the city line in Norfolk. To the south, Route 168 through Chesapeake is the usual drive to the Outer Banks. Commute times swing widely at the tunnels and the I-264/I-64 interchange, so drive your route at rush hour before you commit to a neighborhood.

Buying a house in Virginia Beach: tradeoffs to check first

Flood risk comes first. Parts of the city sit in FEMA-mapped flood zones, and flood insurance can add meaningfully to your monthly cost. Look up any address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, read our guide to checking flood zones in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and get an insurance quote before your inspection period ends.

Aircraft noise is second. Va. Code § 55.1-704 requires sellers in a locality with a military air installation to disclose whether the parcel is in a noise zone or accident potential zone, using the Real Estate Board's form. In Virginia Beach those zones relate to NAS Oceana, so ask for the disclosure before you make an offer.

Price is third. The lower tax rate narrows the gap with neighboring cities but does not close it. Using each city's September 2026 median sale price and FY 2026-27 rate, the yearly tax comes to about $4,292 in Virginia Beach, $4,141 in Chesapeake and $4,071 in Norfolk. Compare the full monthly payment, not just the rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the median home price in Virginia Beach?

$442,500 for homes that closed in September 2026, with a median 17 days on market (VaHome analysis of REIN MLS data, September 2026). Monthly medians from March to September 2026 ranged from $407,945 to $448,000.

What's the property tax rate in Virginia Beach?

$0.97 per $100 of assessed value for FY 2026-27. On a $442,500 assessment that is about $4,292 a year before exemptions. The rate for FY 2027-28, which starts July 1, 2027, is set with the city budget before then.

Are Virginia Beach schools good?

VBCPS includes several of the region's top-rated schools, but results vary by zone. VaHome School Scores for the 11 high schools range from 4.8 to 9.0, with Floyd Kellam highest at 9.0 (2025-26 data). Check the zoned schools for each address you consider.

What military bases are in Virginia Beach?

NAS Oceana (with its Dam Neck Annex) and JEB Little Creek-Fort Story. Naval Station Norfolk is in neighboring Norfolk.

Is Virginia Beach a good place to live?

For many buyers, yes, when beach access, the lower tax rate and the city's top-rated schools outweigh higher prices and coastal flood risk. The specific neighborhood and school zone matter more than the city as a whole.

Which Virginia Beach ZIP codes are closest to NAS Oceana and JEB Little Creek-Fort Story?

VaHome's base guides list 23454, 23456 and 23453 as the ZIP codes near NAS Oceana, and 23455, 23451 and 23462 near JEB Little Creek-Fort Story. Your actual drive depends on the gate you use and the time of day.

Is Virginia Beach more expensive than Norfolk or Chesapeake?

Yes. September 2026 median sale prices were $442,500 in Virginia Beach, $410,000 in Chesapeake and $331,000 in Norfolk (VaHome analysis of REIN MLS data, September 2026). Virginia Beach has the lowest tax rate of the three, but at those medians its yearly tax bill is still slightly higher.

What's the best part of Virginia Beach to buy in?

It depends on how you want to live day to day. For walkability, look at Town Center. For the ocean, the North End and Sandbridge. For larger rural lots, Pungo. For schools, start with the zoned school's score rather than the ZIP code. See the full neighborhood guide.

Sources & further reading

• City of Virginia Beach
• Virginia Beach Real Estate Assessor: tax rates (FY 2026-27)
• VBCPS
• NCES district directory: Virginia Beach City Public Schools
• Visit Virginia Beach
• Guinness World Records: largest pleasure beach
• Military OneSource: NAS Oceana
• Military OneSource: JEB Little Creek-Fort Story
• U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Virginia Beach
• Va. Code § 55.1-704
• FEMA Flood Map Service Center
• VaHome Virginia Beach housing market report

Market figures are VaHome analysis of REIN MLS data for September 2026 and listing counts as of October 29, 2026; tax rates are FY 2026-27 unless noted. Always confirm current details with the relevant agency, lender, or licensed professional before relying on any specific figure or rule.