Cost of Doing Business
A Competitive Environment
Stable tax rates and below-average labor costs
Frederick County offers a competitive environment when it comes to operating your business. The annual average wage for Winchester MSA* ($45,500) is well below the Virginia ($54,500) and U.S. ($50,600) averages. Low and stable tax rates are attractive to companies seeking an advantageous and reliable community for its operations. Frederick County is the northern-most point of Virignia, a right-to-work state, and has an extensive road infrastrucutre allowing companies to move its products in-and-out quickly.
Sample Wage Comparison *
|
AVERAGE WAGES |
WINCHESTER MSA* |
D.C. METRO |
U.S. |
|
All Occupations |
$45,500 |
$68,100 |
$50,600 |
|
Chemical Technicians |
$50,300 |
$52,200 |
$51,000 |
|
Construction Laborers |
$31,500 |
$35,600 |
$38,900 |
|
Electrical Engineers |
$100,500 |
$117,300 |
$99,600 |
|
Financial Specialists |
$77,600 |
$94,600 |
$82,200 |
|
Food Batchmakers |
$37,800 |
$27,900 |
$30,900 |
|
Freight, Stock, and Material Movers |
$29,000 |
$30,900 |
$29,700 |
|
Health Technologists |
$46,700 |
$54,900 |
$47,400 |
|
Healthcare Support |
$29,900 |
$34,700 |
$31,100 |
|
Human Resource Specialists |
$69,300 |
$85,900 |
$66,200 |
|
Industrial Machinery Mechanics |
$50,400 |
$58,000 |
$53,100 |
|
Industrial Truck & Tractor Operators |
$36,100 |
$41,500 |
$35,400 |
|
Licensed Practical Nurse |
$39,700 |
$50,800 |
$45,700 |
|
Machine Tool Operators |
$37,600 |
$38,000 |
$36,200 |
|
Machine Feeders |
$29,000 |
$32,600 |
$30,700 |
|
Market Research Analysts |
$53,300 |
$79,400 |
$71,500 |
|
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters |
$35,900 |
$60,700 |
$38,700 |
|
Nursing Assistants |
$27,300 |
$30,900 |
$28,500 |
|
Office and Administrative Support |
$36,000 |
$44,700 |
$38,000 |
|
Packers and Packagers, Hand |
$24,000 |
$25,700 |
$25,400 |
|
Printing Press Operators |
$34,700 |
$51,100 |
$37,900 |
|
Production Helpers |
$28,500 |
$27,600 |
$28,100 |
|
Radiologic Technologists |
$59,500 |
$71,800 |
$60,300 |
|
Sales Representatives |
$65,600 |
$78,600 |
$69,300 |
|
Training & Development Specialists |
$55,100 |
$76,500 |
$64,700 |
|
Welders, Cutters, and Solderers |
$42,400 |
$50,300 |
$43,400 |
Source: JobsEQ as of 2017 | Updated: April 2019
*Note: Winchester MSA includes City of Winchester, and Frederick County, VA; and Hampshire County, WV
Taxes **
|
Corporate Tax Rate (State - 2018) |
6% |
|
Sales & Use Tax Rate (State - 2018: 4.3% & Local 1%) |
5.3% |
|
Workers Compensation (State- 2017 estimate) |
$0.77 per $100 of payroll |
|
Unemployment Insurance Per Employee (State - 2017 estimate) |
$125 |
|
Real Estate - Frederick County (per $100 assessed value) |
$0.61 |
|
Personal Property - Frederick County (per $100 assessed value) |
$4.86 |
|
Machinery & Tools - Frederick County (per $100 assessed value) |
$2.00 |
Source: Virginia Economic Development Partnership | Updated: April 2019
Utilities
Electric
Rappahannock & Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperatives (assuming 80% power factor)
$0.073 - $0.095 p/KWH
Source: Estimates from REC and SVEC combined to form range for commercial and industrial users | Updated: January 2019
Natural Gas
Washington Gas
$0.40 - $0.90/Therm*
Source: Estimate from Washington Gas for commercial and industrial users; price includes gas, distribution charge, and applicable riders
Updated: January 2019
*Note: 1 Therm = 29.31 kWH
Water & Wastewater
Frederick Water
Base Rates
|
Meter Size |
Billing Frequency |
Water |
Sewer |
|
3/4 INCH |
Monthly |
$18.60 |
$33.63 |
|
1 INCH |
Monthly |
$26.33 |
$49.87 |
|
1 1/2 INCH |
Monthly |
$44.48 |
$88.59 |
|
2 INCH |
Monthly |
$68.37 |
$138.39 |
|
3 INCH |
Monthly |
$142.97 |
$284.29 |
|
4 INCH |
Monthly |
$220.32 |
$446.70 |
|
6 INCH |
Monthly |
$411.99 |
$850.03 |
|
8 INCH |
Monthly |
$640.64 |
$1,331.89 |
|
10 INCH |
Monthly |
$902.85 |
na |
Consumption per Meter Read
# of thousand gallons x rate
|
in thousand gallons |
|
Water |
Sewer |
|
0-1 |
included in Base Rate |
$- |
$- |
|
2-20 |
|
$4.32 |
$5.17 |
|
21-50 |
|
$4.57 |
$5.47 |
|
51-100 |
|
$4.98 |
$5.96 |
|
101+ |
|
$6.17 |
$6.50 |
Source: Frederick Water | Updated April 2019