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U.S. Territory

U.S. Virgin Islands

D+40  ·  Low tax burden  ·  COL index 128

A+

37%

Income Tax

Notable

Uses a mirror tax code. No federal income tax on VI-source income for bona fide residents. Economic Development Commission (EDC) benefits can reduce income tax to 1% and offer 90% reduction on corporate taxes for qualifying businesses.

State Profile

59/100
255075100TAXES96SAFETY50HEALTH50SCHOOLS50AFFORDABLE55LONGEVITY50

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Get notified when U.S. Virgin Islands tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Taxes

Income Tax

Mirror code: residents pay income tax to USVI government. EDC benefits can reduce effective rate to near 1% for qualifying applicants.

37% top

Property Tax

0.3% / yr

Sales Tax

None

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Federal capital gains rates via mirror code; potential reduction under EDC program

Not taxed

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

128

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

D+40

Gun Laws

Gun ControlA-
2A LibertyD

Carry Permit

May-issue

Purchase Permit Required

Yes

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

-0.3% job growth · 9% unemployment

Weak

Top Industries

TourismGovernmentRetail

Tech Jobs

#50 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#50 of 50

Remote Work

8% of workers

Median Household Income

$37,000

Daily Life

Consumer Fireworks

Check local ordinances

Restricted

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 78°F

Very Mild

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

84°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

46" / yr

Tornado Risk

Very Low

Hurricane Risk

Moderate

Wildfire Risk

Very Low

Flood Risk

Low

Natural Hazards

26LOW danger
Peak hurricane seasonJellyfish in the beautiful water

Venomous Snakes

Low

Spider Hazard

Low

Scorpions

Low

Hurricane Risk

High

Tornado Risk

Minimal

Wildfire Risk

Minimal

Earthquake Risk

Low

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

20/100

Property Tax Exemption

Partial exemption for service-connected disability

Disability Only

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Taxed

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Standard federal VA benefits

See your full cost of living in U.S. Virgin Islands

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Compare Similar States

VI vs NJ

U.S. Virgin Islands vs New Jersey

COL 128 vs 121 · 37% vs 10.75% income tax

Full comparison →

VI vs NY

U.S. Virgin Islands vs New York

COL 128 vs 139 · 37% vs 10.9% income tax

Full comparison →

VI vs WA

U.S. Virgin Islands vs Washington

COL 128 vs 117 · 37% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

VI vs MD

U.S. Virgin Islands vs Maryland

COL 128 vs 116 · 37% vs 5.75% income tax

Full comparison →

Trending in U.S. Virgin Islands

Governor Bryan Orders Virgin Islands Flags Lowered Wednesday in Honor of Former Senator Ronald E. Russell - vi.gov

vi.gov · Jun 9

/C O R R E C T I O N -- U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism/ - PR Newswire

PR Newswire · Jun 8

The Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion: A Transformative Public Housing Conversion in the U.S. Virgin Islands - HUD User (.gov)

HUD User (.gov) · May 20

Government House, VITEMA Urge Virgin Islanders to Prepare Now as 2026 Hurricane Season Begins - vi.gov

vi.gov · Jun 8

US Virgin Islands governor touts his track record - Bond Buyer

Bond Buyer · Jan 29

What Residents Say

Considering expat to usvi : r/ExpatFIRE

there is no territory income tax - similar to living in a state like FL or TX. Our property tax is ~ $1200/year. All very reasonable. Our only ......

reddit.com ↗

I am thinking about moving to the US Virgin Islands. Good ...

My wife is a nurse so she can get a job anywhere. I have an MBA and currently work in government. We are thinking about moving to the US virgin islands ......

reddit.com ↗

I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands from 2009 to 2020. AMA

The cost of living there is very expensive, like San Fransisco levels. Goods from the US were fairly available. Amazon orders took months to get to the Island....

reddit.com ↗

For those who live on one of the USVIs, how would you ...

For those who live on one of the USVIs, how would you describe the quality of life for the average resident and who would you, or would you not, recommend ......

reddit.com ↗

How do I relocate to the US Virgin Islands : r/virginislands

Any advice on how to do this? I have 2 cats that I also need to bring with me....

reddit.com ↗

Is becoming a US territorial resident a good idea for ...

US outer territories are usually overlooked by most in the US. As many look to expatriate to exotic lands. Though just curious whether it’s a good ......

reddit.com ↗

Moving to the US Virgin Islands? : r/virginislands

I am looking for any recommendations on what part of the island to live on, if I should pay to have my car & household items shipped, traveling with a pet, and ...

reddit.com ↗

Move to St. Croix? : r/stcroix

Hello! I have this incredible opportunity to take on a roll that could be a COMPLETE game changer for my career (and life). Accepting it would require ......

reddit.com ↗

Building our Retirement Home - USVI Questions

There is a good deal of open land on the island and it's relatively affordable. Building costs are high and it is risky to try and do things ......

reddit.com ↗

Income tax : r/virginislands

There is no local taxes, only the federal ones you are already paying anywhere else in the US so far as payroll goes. I believe the property tax is 1.5%....

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when U.S. Virgin Islands tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable