The story of this market
The typical home in James City County, Virginia sells for about $489,000, or $215 per square foot.
Prices are down 9.53% from a year ago, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. Homes take about 42 days to sell. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 96% since 2000. Last year 11 of 16 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,667 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,667 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Low.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
0%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2005 (+23.2%). Worst: 2011 (-6.2%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+2.6%
VA · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$2,298
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
0%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 16 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
45
Relatively Low
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $22,219,504.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
80.9%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4393 | 2341 | 80.9% | 3.4% | $325,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
James City County, Virginia
The James City County housing market is experiencing a cooling phase with a slight year-over-year decline in median prices, reflecting broader national trends. Despite this, demand remains steady due to the area's high quality of life and strong school systems. Inventory levels are beginning to normalize, providing more options for prospective buyers.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: median price diverges 12.7% from the nearest retained anchor (prior refresh cycle) — beyond the 12.5% tolerance; an automated validation case is open and the value publishes pending its verdict.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 7 cities · 6 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 1.9% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 34 days on market with 3.3 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
11% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 85.19% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.1% · poverty 6.5% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Deterministic aggregate of 3 researched ZIP reports of 6 — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
James City County, Virginia — researched county-level history with a deterministic 1 / 3 / 5-year projection
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.0%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
researched Sep 29
researched Oct 16
researched Oct 16
researched Sep 29
researched Sep 28
researched Sep 29
| 23089 | Lanexa (James City County portion) | $414,000 | $231 | +4.8% | 63 | — | — | — | 562,000 | $1,298 | researched Sep 29 |
| 23090 | Lightfoot | $365,000 | $145 | +2.5% | 22 | 98.5% | 12% | 3.2 | 40 | $1,650 | researched Oct 16 |
| 23127 | Norge | $345,000 | $168 | +2.4% | 42 | 98.2% | 18.5% | 4.8 | 84 | $1,650 | researched Oct 16 |
| 23168 | Toano | $537,000 | $215 | -0.8% | 48 | 98.2% | 12.5% | 5.2 | 96 | $1,412 | researched Sep 29 |
| 23185 | Williamsburg | $509,500 | $230 | +2.2% | 47 | 98.9% | 19.3% | 6.8 | 542 | $1,489 | researched Sep 28 |
| 23188 | Williamsburg | $499,500 | $236 | +2.1% | 38 | 99% | 28.1% | 1.2 | 334 | $1,634 | researched Sep 29 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
James City County maintains a relatively low crime rate compared to the broader Hampton Roads region, with property crime being the primary concern.
The Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools district is highly regarded, consistently ranking among the top-performing districts in the state.
The county faces moderate flood risks in low-lying coastal areas and requires standard wind/storm insurance coverage due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast.
Economic momentum is driven by tourism, government, and education sectors, with ongoing development in mixed-use residential and commercial projects near the Williamsburg area.
The county levies a real estate tax based on assessed fair market value, with rates set annually by the Board of Supervisors; special service districts may apply in specific developments.
The economy is anchored by tourism, the College of William & Mary, and regional government services, with a stable employment base.
Served by I-64, providing critical access to the Newport News and Richmond employment corridors.
The county assessor performs annual reassessments to ensure property values reflect current market conditions.
The county is served by the Williamsburg-James City County school district and various utility service authorities.
Property insurance premiums are influenced by coastal storm exposure, with most residents requiring standard homeowners policies.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
A world-renowned living history museum that serves as a major cultural anchor for the county.
Features extensive mountain biking trails, historical sites, and botanical gardens.
A living history museum detailing the 17th-century English colony and Powhatan Indian culture.
Retrieved from data.census.gov
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.