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City · 5,162 residents · Wise County, Virginia

Big Stone Gap , Virginia

In Big Stone Gap, a typical home is worth $163,000 and typical rent is $797 a month. Compared with all of Wise County, the typical home value is 37% higher and the share of households that own their home is 11 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $163,000

    37% above the county

    58% below Virginia

    • Big Stone Gap
    • Wise
    • Virginia

  • Typical rent

    $797a month

    About the same as the county

    50% below Virginia

    • Big Stone Gap
    • Wise
    • Virginia

  • Typical household income

    $54,581a year

    3% above the county

    41% below Virginia

    • Big Stone Gap
    • Wise
    • Virginia

  • Households that own their home

    63%

    11 points below the county

    4 points below Virginia

    • Big Stone Gap
    • Wise
    • Virginia

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$148,047
1.4% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Big Stone Gap is in Wise County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Wise County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Big Stone Gap apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Big Stone Gap has the 4th lowest typical home value of the 157 cities in Virginia with more than 5,000 people ($163,000).

  2. Big Stone Gap has the 6th lowest typical rent of the 157 cities in Virginia with more than 5,000 people ($797).

  3. Nearby, in Richlands, the typical home value is $111,000: 32% less than in Big Stone Gap ($163,000).

  4. 63% of households in Big Stone Gap own their home, against 74% in Wise County.

  5. Big Stone Gap has the 14th lowest typical household income of the 160 cities in Virginia with more than 5,000 people ($54,581).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Big Stone Gap

What homes there are in Big Stone Gap, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Big Stone Gap, 8 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Wise County, 6.

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,111 a month

Wise County: $1,217 a month

Without a mortgage

$441 a month

Wise County: $417 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

Wise County: 45%

In Big Stone Gap, 60% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,111 a month, against $1,217 in Wise County. Without one it drops to $441.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Big Stone Gap gained value more slowly than in Wise County: 29% since 2015–2019, against 39%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Big Stone Gap did not change clearly, according to the Census.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBig Stone GapWise CountyVirginiaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2.1%3.4%
People per household 2.382.332.522.53
Drive alone 75%77%68%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate11%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Big Stone Gap has 2.38 people on average, about the same as in Wise County (2.33).

To get to work, 75% of workers in Big Stone Gap drive alone; in Wise County, 77%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Big Stone Gap?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Big Stone Gap, worth $163,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 29% of the typical household income in Big Stone Gap, which is $54,581 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $56,076 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Wise County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Big Stone Gap. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $5,705 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,308

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$160,048
Total interest
$230,271
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,753 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,274 a month

  • Tight

    $1,274 to $1,637 a month

    Your payment · 29%

  • Hard

    more than $1,637 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Big Stone Gap ($54,581 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,308
Principal & interest$1,084
Property tax$84
Home insurance$68
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$72

You need at least $5,705 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Big Stone Gap and Wise County

Big Stone Gap is in Wise County, Virginia. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Big Stone Gap's own numbers

Typical home value
$163,000
Typical monthly rent
$797
Typical yearly household income
$54,581
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
0.62%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Wise County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$943
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+38%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
7.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Wise County.

Everything about Wise County

Buying

Buying a home in Big Stone Gap

A typical home in Big Stone Gap is worth $163,000: 37% above the county and 58% below Virginia. With the typical household income in Big Stone Gap ($54,581 a year), a typical home costs 3.0 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Big Stone Gap 3.0 years
  • Wise 2.2 years
  • Virginia 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Wise County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Wise County rose 39% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Wise County.

Period County Virginia U.S.
Last year (2025) −1.3% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +38% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +39% +75% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Big Stone Gap next to Wise County, Virginia and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Big Stone Gap $163,000
  • Wise $118,600
  • Virginia $383,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Big Stone Gap $797
  • Wise $790
  • Virginia $1,579
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Big Stone Gap $54,581
  • Wise $52,943
  • Virginia $93,170
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Big Stone Gap next to Wise County and Virginia
Measure Big Stone Gap Wise County Virginia U.S.
Typical home value $163,000 $118,600 $383,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $797 $790 $1,579 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $54,581 $52,943 $93,170 $80,734
Households that own their home 63% 74% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,013 $693 $2,790 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.62% 0.58% 0.73% 0.94%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Wise County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Big Stone Gap

For a typical $163,000 home in Big Stone Gap, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Big Stone Gap's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,308a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,705
    Cash to close
    $10,595
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $72

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,279a month

    Down payment
    $8,150
    Cash to close
    $13,040
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $77

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,036a month

    Down payment
    $32,600
    Cash to close
    $37,490
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,186a month

    Down payment
    $24,450
    Cash to close
    $29,340
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Big Stone Gap and for Wise County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Big Stone Gap

0.62%of the home’s value each year

$1,013 a year for the typical owner in Big Stone Gap.

  • Big Stone Gap 0.62%
  • Wise 0.58%
  • Virginia 0.73%

What Virginia publishes Local exemption or deferral for people 65 and older or with disabilities (Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia))

Exemptions and deadlines in Virginia

Flood risk in Wise County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Wise County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
7.8%
1,115
Of those, with NFIP insurance
12%
County Virginia U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 7.8% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 12% 100% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Big Stone Gap

Typical rent in Big Stone Gap is $797 a month: about the same as the county.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Wise County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($943 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $18.13 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Wise County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $717 $13.79 $28,680
1 bedroom $722 $13.88 $28,880
2 bedrooms $943 $18.13 $37,720
3 bedrooms $1,262 $24.27 $50,480
4 bedrooms $1,460 $28.08 $58,400

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Big Stone Gap

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Big Stone Gap is in ZIP code 24219.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,000: $57 more than the fair market rent for Wise County ($943).

  • 24219 $1,000$1,330

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Big Stone Gap when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Big Stone Gap

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Big Stone Gap. These are the largest.

  • Dogwood Terrace 170 Dogwood Ter, Big Stone Gap 24219 97 low-income homes · 2 bd: 57 · 3 bd: 36 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2004 · For families (276) 523-1679
  • Woodstone Village I 211 Woodstone Dr E, Big Stone Gap 24219 36 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 14 · In service since 2007 · For families
  • Woodstone Village II 273 Woodstone Dr E, Big Stone Gap 24219 18 low-income homes · 1 bd: 18 · In service since 2007 · For older adults
  • Planning District I Development Corp. 101 Laurel Rdg, Big Stone Gap 24219 10 low-income homes · For people with disabilities (423) 232-4300
  • Two Inc. 100 Laurel Rdg, Big Stone Gap 24219 10 low-income homes · For people with disabilities (423) 232-4300

See all 10 buildings in Wise County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Big Stone Gap

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Wise County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Big Stone Gap

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Big Stone Gap or Wise County. The ones below are statewide in Virginia: they work in Big Stone Gap the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Virginia

  • Down Payment Assistance Grant

    Statewide in Virginia

    Virginia state agency down payment grant that you do not repay; for first-time buyers, or any buyer in economic opportunity zones, with a Virginia Housing mortgage. Offered by Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

  • Virginia Housing Plus Second Mortgage

    Statewide in Virginia

    Virginia Housing 30-year fixed-rate second mortgage of up to 5% of the price for the down payment (and part of the closing costs with a credit score of 680 or higher); for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before. Offered by Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Closing Cost Assistance Grant

    Statewide in Virginia

    Virginia Housing grant that you do not repay, of up to 2% of the price, for the closing costs of buyers with a Virginia Housing RD (Rural Development) or VA loan. Offered by Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Big Stone Gap

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Big Stone Gap, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Commonwealth Catholic Charities

    507 Park Avenue SW, Norton · 10 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 11 more
    (804) 285-5986

  • Appalachian Community Action & Development Agency, Inc.(appcaa)

    175 Military Ln, Gate City · 17 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Workshops for new owners
    • and 4 more
    (276) 452-2441

  • People Incorporated of Virginia

    1173 W Main St, Abingdon · 44 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Homelessness services
    • and 3 more
    (276) 623-9000

All counseling agencies in Virginia

Help in Spanish near Big Stone Gap

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Big Stone Gap

HUD’s record names them for Big Stone Gap or Wise County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Big Stone Gap Redevelopment and Housing Auth. Section 8 vouchers (276) 523-4788
  • Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (276) 395-6104

All housing agencies in Virginia Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Big Stone Gap, with the typical home value.

Everything about Wise County Housing in Virginia

Neighboring counties

If Wise County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Big Stone Gap.

All guides
A father holds his baby and his young son by a white picket fence.

Questions

Housing questions about Big Stone Gap

Short answers with the numbers for Big Stone Gap and all of Wise County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Big Stone Gap?

The typical home value in Big Stone Gap is $163,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Wise County it is $118,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Big Stone Gap?

Typical rent in Big Stone Gap is $797 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Wise County is $943.

What is the FHA loan limit in Big Stone Gap?

Big Stone Gap uses the FHA limit for all of Wise County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Big Stone Gap?

The typical homeowner in Big Stone Gap pays $1,013 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.62% of the home’s value; in Wise County, the rate is 0.58%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Big Stone Gap?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Wise County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).