Cape Charles, VA housing market
The typical Cape Charles home is worth about $411,000, up 5.5% in a year, close to the Virginia typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Cape Charles compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Cape Charles at a glance
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Cape Charles | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $173,000 | $253,000 |
| 2018 | $187,000 | $263,000 |
| 2019 | $204,000 | $271,000 |
| 2020 | $207,000 | $284,000 |
| 2021 | $249,000 | $311,000 |
| 2022 | $313,000 | $345,000 |
| 2023 | $355,000 | $367,000 |
| 2024 | $366,000 | $386,000 |
| 2025 | $379,000 | $405,000 |
| 2026 | $402,000 | $411,000 |
| August 2026 | $411,000 | $415,000 |
65 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 65 new homes in Cape Charles in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $34.8 million to build. That's 54 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Virginia (4). Over the past 10 years, Cape Charles has permitted 427 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Cape Charles gained 169 residents while 159 new homes were permitted: about 1.1 new residents per new home. Building outpaced population growth, which usually means smaller households or homes used part of the year. 34% of Cape Charles's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across Virginia: 2.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 53 | 47 | 6 | $29.5 million |
| 2025 | 65 | 65 | 0 | $34.8 million |
| 2024 | 71 | 71 | 0 | $45.9 million |
| 2023 | 51 | 43 | 8 | $27.9 million |
| 2022 | 72 | 65 | 7 | $40.1 million |
| 2021 | 58 | 58 | 0 | $24.9 million |
| 2020 | 21 | 13 | 8 | $7.3 million |
| 2019 | 50 | 22 | 28 | $10.4 million |
| 2018 | 25 | 15 | 10 | $5.1 million |
| 2017 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2.1 million |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $2 million |
| 2015 | 28 | 9 | 19 | $6.6 million |
| 2014 | 29 | 12 | 17 | $6.3 million |
| 2013 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $2.4 million |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $2.5 million |
| 2010 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2008 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2007 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2006 | 24 | 12 | 12 | $6.5 million |
| 2005 | 41 | 23 | 18 | $9.1 million |
| 2004 | 180 | 60 | 120 | $23.4 million |
| 2003 | 49 | 49 | 0 | $6.6 million |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
5.6 years of income
The typical Cape Charles home costs about 5.6 years of the town's median household income, more than across Virginia (4.5 years).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $960
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Cape Charles is $960 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Cape Charles pay a median of $800, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 16% of the town's median household income.
Studio $730 · 4 bedrooms $1,610
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (23310; Northampton County, VA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Recent listings in Cape Charles
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.