Rivanna Station is a small, secure Army intelligence site on US-29, about 12 miles north of downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. It is home to the National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), and the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also work there. There is no on-post housing, commissary or military hospital, so a family PCSing to Rivanna lives entirely on the local economy. That makes the choice of where to live a bigger decision here than at most bases.
Rivanna Station’s housing area is VA295 (Charlottesville).
Source: official DoD 2026 BAH table. Rates for every pay grade are on the DoD BAH calculator.
Rents are high for a military town. A three-bedroom apartment in a large Charlottesville complex averaged about $2,640 a month in October 2026, more than an E-5’s housing allowance and a little under an E-6’s ($2,715).
Families stationed at Rivanna choose between three places, each with its own taxes and schools:
Because Rivanna sits on the north edge of the Charlottesville area, the least expensive of the three is also one of the closest.
| Charlottesville (city) | Albemarle County | Greene County | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home sale price (Jan to Mar 2026) | $477,500 | $550,000 | $396,950 |
| Property tax rate (2026, per $100 of value) | $0.99 | $0.894 | $0.70 |
| Yearly property tax on the median home | about $4,727 | about $4,917 | about $2,779 |
| Vehicle tax rate (2026, per $100 of value) | $4.40 | $4.28 | $4.00 |
| Drive to the gate | about 25 minutes | 5 to 15 minutes (northern areas) | about 15 minutes (Ruckersville) |
Property tax is figured on the county’s assessed value, which can differ from the sale price, so treat that line as a rough guide. Drive times are typical estimates without heavy traffic.
Vehicle tax. Virginia’s cities and counties tax cars every year based on their value. Service members whose legal residence is outside Virginia can have their vehicles exempted under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Albemarle County asks for proof, such as a current LES, every year. Charlottesville asks for your latest LES. In Greene County, ask the Commissioner of the Revenue what they need.
Sales tax. The rate is 5.3% in all three places, and groceries are taxed at 1%. On November 3, 2026, voters in Charlottesville and Albemarle County approved an extra 1% sales tax for school construction. It can’t start before 2027, and the start date isn’t set yet. Greene County voters turned it down. Groceries stay at 1% either way.
Income tax. See “Does Virginia Tax Your Income?” below.
Military pay is taxed by your state of legal residence, not the state where you’re stationed. If your legal residence is another state, Virginia doesn’t tax your military pay. This comes from the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
Military spouses can claim the same state of legal residence as the service member under the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA). If it applies, Virginia doesn’t tax the spouse’s local wages either.
If Virginia is your legal residence, the state tax rate tops out at 5.75% on income over $17,000. Two breaks help:
Rental, investment or business income can complicate this. Military OneSource offers free tax help that handles these situations well.
There are no DoDEA schools here; children attend the local public schools, and your address decides the district.
Albemarle County Public Schools is the largest of the three. A third of its schools were rated Distinguished, Virginia’s top rating, in 2024-25, compared with 23% statewide. Closest to the gate, Baker-Butler, Hollymead and Stony Point elementary schools feed Lakeside Middle and Albemarle High. Boundaries change, so check the county’s school lookup for any address.
Charlottesville City Schools is smaller, with about 4,400 students. Ratings vary widely from school to school. Starting in 2026-27, its elementary schools serve kindergarten through 5th grade and its expanded middle school serves 6th through 8th.
Greene County Public Schools is a smaller rural district. Research the specific schools for any neighborhood you consider.
Virginia released its 2025-26 school ratings in October 2026. Look up the latest rating for the specific schools that serve any home you’re considering.
There’s no military clinic at Rivanna Station. The nearest military hospital is Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, about 2 hours north. Most families see civilian doctors, and UVA Health and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital are the main local hospitals.
Charlottesville is in the TRICARE East region, run by Humana Military. Because military clinics are about 2 hours away, many families here qualify for TRICARE Prime Remote. Check your home ZIP code on the TRICARE website before you choose a plan.
Rivanna has no commissary or exchange. The nearest commissaries are at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Fort Belvoir and Fort Gregg-Adams, each about 2 to 2.5 hours away. The Army JAG School in Charlottesville has a small exchange shop for basics and uniform items.
Rivanna Station does have a Child Development Center, open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Request care early on MilitaryChildCare.com and call the center about openings.
Albemarle County bought about 462 acres beside Rivanna Station, and AstraZeneca plans a $4.5 billion manufacturing campus on part of it, with about 600 jobs. Site work could start in 2027, with the first building due in late 2029. Expect construction traffic near the station, and watch how the new jobs affect rents and home prices in northern Albemarle and Greene County.
The Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School sits next to UVA’s law school, about 11 miles south of Rivanna Station. Its Graduate Course runs about 10 months, so some families come to Charlottesville for that instead. The tax and school information on this page applies to them too, though most live closer to the school.
The figures on this page are representative examples using current rates. Your situation depends on filing status, deductions, neighborhood, vehicle values and more. This is not tax or financial advice. For your own numbers, talk to a military-experienced tax professional, your installation’s legal assistance office, or Military OneSource’s free tax service.
Last checked November 4, 2026.
