Caroline County Cost of Living Calculator

How the estimate works

Real estate taxis the home price divided by 100, times the locality's rate per $100 of assessed value. The county assessor's value can be higher or lower than the price you pay.

Vehicle personal property taxis each vehicle's assessed value, times the locality's assessment ratio, times its rate per $100, less the car tax relief (PPTRA) the locality applies to the first $20,000 of a personal-use vehicle's value.

Virginia income tax uses the state brackets after the standard deduction and personal exemptions. Virginia localities levy no local income tax, so this line is the same in every locality; it is shown so the total is complete. Itemized deductions, credits and other income are not modelled.

Sales tax is estimated from the IRS optional sales tax tables, which the IRS builds from what households at each income actually spend: the Virginia state table for the income, plus the local table times the local rate (1% in Caroline and Spotsylvania, 1.7% where the 0.7% Central Virginia rate applies: Hanover, Henrico and Richmond).

Commute is the round trip on each working day (250 a year for five days a week) at the IRS standard mileage rate of 72.5 cents a mile, which covers fuel, maintenance and depreciation. Distances are approximate road miles; enter your own.

Town of Bowling Green.Inside the town limits the town's real estate and vehicle tax rates are added to the county's, with the town vehicle license, trash collection and town water and sewer.

Utilities are the electric provider's residential bill at 1,000 kWh a month and the public water and sewer bill at 5,000 gallons a month. Many homes in Caroline County use a private well and septic system; choose that option to leave the water bill out (well and septic upkeep is not included). Electric bills leave out utility taxes.

This is an estimate for comparing places, not tax, legal or lending advice. Your tax bill, utility bills and loan terms will differ; check with the county treasurer, your utility and a licensed lender.

Rates and sources

Rates as of 2026-10-20. They are updated each budget year. Where a locality has not published its current figure, the latest published one is used and marked.