Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety50#7,853/15,637
Economy26#11,571/15,631
Housing31#10,281/14,977
Health34#10,282/15,609
Healthcare72#4,353/15,650
Environment79#3,191/15,453
Education34#10,311/15,649
Infrastructure46#8,377/15,650
Community66#5,290/15,651
Leisure & amenities98#284/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Winchester, Virginia ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Winchester city value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Traffic deaths · low2.1 /100k
100/100Virginia 10.7 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataWinchester city value
Dentists · high279 /100k
100/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWinchester city value
Primary care physicians · high272 /100k
100/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWinchester city value
Distance to an emergency room · low1.1 mi
100/100Virginia 5.8 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesWinchester city value
Access to exercise opportunities · high100.0%
100/100Virginia 83.8%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWinchester city value
Natural hazard risk · low0.8
100/100Virginia 17.92025Federal Emergency Management AgencyWinchester city value

Weaknesses

Drought exposure · high98%
3/100Virginia 70%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAWinchester city value
Child poverty rate · high33.5%
7/100Virginia 11.8%United States 15.5%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Reading scores · low2.72
11/100Virginia 3.16United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWinchester city value
Property crime rate · high2,164 /100k
11/100Virginia 1,354 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationWinchester city value
Poverty rate · high21.5%
12/100Virginia 9.8%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Time spent in the emergency room · high218 min
13/100Virginia 164 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesWinchester city value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.4% (2015-2019) → 87.4% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New homes permittedImproving
7.4 /1k (2021) → 11.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+48%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Child poverty rateWorsening
25.5% (2015-2019) → 33.5% (2020-2024)
+8 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
47.9% (2015-2019) → 55.4% (2020-2024)
+7.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
4.2× (2015-2019) → 5.4× (2020-2024)
+29%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Poverty rateWorsening
16.3% (2015-2019) → 21.5% (2020-2024)
+5.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Winchester, Virginia improved on 3 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 6 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Commute−6.0 min25.6 min → 19.6 min
Broadband+12 points75.4% → 87.4%
Household income+8.8%$58,818 → $63,974

Declined5

Unemployment+3.3 points3.2% → 6.4%
Poverty+5.2 points16.3% → 21.5%
Price / income+1.2×4.2× → 5.4×
Child poverty+8 points25.5% → 33.5%
Rent / income+3.2 points29.0% → 32.2%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Winchester, Virginia between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.6 min2015-2019	19.6 min2020-2024	−6.0 min	Improved	93%
Bachelor's degree or higher	35.1%2015-2019	31.3%2020-2024	−3.8 points	Within the margin of error	10%
Broadband subscriptions	75.4%2015-2019	87.4%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	69%
Child poverty rate	25.5%2015-2019	33.5%2020-2024	+8 points	Declined	15%
Effective property tax rate	0.81%2015-2019	0.74%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	30%
High school diploma or higher	84.1%2015-2019	87.5%2020-2024	+3.4 points	Within the margin of error	72%
Home price to income ratio	4.2×2015-2019	5.4×2020-2024	+1.2×	Declined	16%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4422015-2019	0.4702020-2024	+0.028	Within the margin of error	28%
Median household income	$58,8182015-2019	$63,9742020-2024	+8.8%	Improved	15%
Poverty rate	16.3%2015-2019	21.5%2020-2024	+5.2 points	Declined	12%
Rent as share of income	29.0%2015-2019	32.2%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Declined	31%
Rent-burdened households	47.9%2015-2019	55.4%2020-2024	+7.5 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Unemployment rate	3.2%2015-2019	6.4%2020-2024	+3.3 points	Declined	8%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	16.4%2015-2019	14.6%2020-2024	−1.8 points	Within the margin of error	67%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Winchester, Virginia five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Winchester, Virginia in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Winchester, Virginia itself moved −4.4 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

27,913 residents

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 70–79 men (+1.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

27,913 residents

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

White61%17,126
Black7.7%2,156
Hispanic or Latino21%5,848

Education

18,845 residents (±234)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

No high school diploma12%2,347
High school or GED30%5,738
Some college19%3,628

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

11,492 households (±329)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $25k20%2,309
$25k–50k18%2,062
$50k–75k21%2,368
$75k–100k14%1,583
$100k–150k14%1,593
$150k–200k5.1%583
$200k or more8.6%994

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−8.8 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

11,492 households (±329)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Own44%5,011
Rent56%6,481

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

6,050 households (±502)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $7505.6%†336
$750–1,00020%1,214
$1,000–1,50036%2,163

Home values

5,011 homes (±385)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $150k6.0%†299
$150k–250k24%1,190
$250k–400k32%1,609

Age of homes

12,541 homes (±39)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

2010 or later4.7%†592
2000–20099.2%1,148
1980–199923%2,895

Size of homes

12,541 homes (±39)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Studio2.5%†314
1 bedroom13%1,658
2 bedrooms32%3,970

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

13,356 workers (±602)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Drive alone71%9,548
Carpool6.6%†883
Public transit1.2%†155
Walk5.5%†728
Bike0.3%†46
Work from home14%1,869
Other1.0%†127

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Carpool (−8.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

11,487 workers (±634)

Winchester, Virginia
Virginia share

Under 15 min46%5,330
15–29 min35%3,966
30–44 min7.8%892

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Winchester, VA-WV

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Winchester city, the county holding most of Winchester's residents.

Winchester city has 1,373 employer establishments, 493 for every 10,000 residents (1.98× the US rate of 248; 2.04× Virginia's), with 24,157 paid employees at an average annual pay of $53,707. The Census Bureau also counts 2,418 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,373; 2,418 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 493; US 248 · Virginia 241
Paid employees: 24,157
Average annual pay: $53,707; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Winchester city by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	192	68.9	3.31×More than typical	2,835	$89,693	91
Restaurants and other eating places	122	43.8	2.38×More than typical	2,347	$23,008	24
Offices of physicians	83	29.8	4.60×More than typical	1,727	$105,940	22
Lessors of real estate	68	24.4	1.98×More than typical	264	$47,936	404
Full-service restaurants	58	20.8	2.71×More than typical	1,198	$26,409	9
Limited-service restaurants	54	19.4	2.42×More than typical	1,040	$19,722	13
Legal services	51	18.3	3.40×More than typical	243	$60,160	20
Clothing and accessories stores	49	17.6	4.85×More than typical	639	$18,340	18
Offices of other health practitioners	45	16.1	2.66×More than typical	189	$48,847	54
Specialty trade contractors	41	14.7	0.95×About typical	251	$59,012	146
Automotive repair and maintenance	37	13.3	2.64×More than typical	223	$42,193	27
Personal care services	35	12.6	2.63×More than typical	137	$27,058	98

Rank places for an industry Open Winchester city

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 27,864 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $9.6M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Winchester, Virginia: $343 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $9.6M; −41% vs FY2025
Per resident: $343; US $1,994
Sole-source: 1.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 27%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Office of Procurement Operations$4.4M46%
Agency for International Development$2M21%
Federal Emergency Management Agency$1.1M11%
Agricultural Marketing Service$385.2K4.0%
Department of the Navy$364.5K3.8%
Department of Veterans Affairs$361.7K3.8%
Department of the Army$346K3.6%
U.S. Marshals Service$165.6K1.7%

Top recipients

SIMMONS & GOLDEN SECURITY LLC$4.4M46%
ROOT INSTANCE LLC$2M21%
WSP USA SERVICES INC.$966.3K10%
SCS INTEGRATED SUPPORT SOLUTIONS LLC$769.7K8.1%
NATIONAL FRUIT PRODUCT CO INC$385.2K4.0%

Spending by fiscal year

15.8MFY2017
14.2MFY2018
15MFY2019
26.1MFY2020
25.7MFY2021
18.7MFY2022
11.6MFY2023
10.5M

Top industries (NAICS)

Investigation and security services · 5616$4.4M46%
Computer systems design and related services · 5415$2.1M22%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$1M11%
Office furniture (including fixtures) manufacturing · 3372$769.7K8.1%
Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing · 3114$385.2K4.0%
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in Winchester, Virginia

AWARD OF INITIAL OPERATIONS TASK ORDER FUNDING RECURRING COST THAT ENABLE HOUSING INSPECTION SERVICES.$34.5M
WSP USA SERVICES INC.· Winchester city, VA· Professional services· Oct 4, 2019 – Jul 22, 2026· 70FB8020F00000167
ARMED PROTECTIVE SECURITY OFFICER (PSO) BASIC AND TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN THE WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE$4.4M
SIMMONS & GOLDEN SECURITY LLC· Winchester city, VA· Facilities & utilities· Jul 31, 2026 – Aug 28, 2026· 70RFP326FRE300020
APPLICATION PRODUCTION SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR USAID OFFICE OF SECURITY'S CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM$3.9M
ROOT INSTANCE LLC· Winchester city, VA· IT & telecom· Sep 30, 2025 – Sep 24, 2026· 720AAD25M00001

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Winchester, Virginia, so they do not add up across cities.

Winchester, Virginia's figures are part of those of Winchester city, VA ($9.6M in FY2026), never added to them: 100.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Winchester is mostly in Winchester city.

See federal money in Winchester city

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Winchester, Virginia is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Ben ClineR-VA-6 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 1.0%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Winchester city67100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Winchester, VA-WV67

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5186720

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends