Virginia is the second-largest military state in the country — home to more than 130,000 active-duty service members and 19 or more major installations spanning every branch of service. The Pentagon, headquarters of the entire US Department of Defense, sits in
Arlington. Naval Station Norfolk in Hampton Roads is the world’s largest naval station. Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County employs more people than the Pentagon. Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton houses approximately one-quarter of all F-22 Raptors in the Air Force. Marine Corps Base Quantico is where the FBI, DEA, and Marine Officers train simultaneously.
For eligible veterans and active-duty service members, the VA Loan — zero down payment, no private mortgage insurance, no VA-imposed loan limit for veterans with full entitlement — is the dominant purchase product in Hampton Roads and a powerful tool in Northern Virginia’s high-cost market. Virginia adds a significant state-level tax benefit: all military retirees can currently subtract up to $40,000 of retirement pay from state taxable income, with legislation pending to make all military retirement income tax-free.
No down payment required in most cases
No monthly PMI even with zero down
VA-guaranteed loans typically carry rates at or below conventional market rates
No VA-set minimum credit score; most lenders look for 580–620+
The VA restricts certain fees lenders can charge veterans
VA Loans can be assumed by a qualified buyer
Virginia Military Retirement Tax Benefit: Virginia allows all military retirees to subtract up to $40,000 of retirement pay from state taxable income (2025 tax year, no age requirement). Virginia House Bill 2700 has been introduced to remove the cap entirely starting in 2026, which would make Virginia a fully military-retirement-tax-free state. If passed, this would be a transformative change for the enormous Virginia military retiree community — verify current legislative status with your tax advisor.
The Pentagon (Arlington County): Headquarters of the entire United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington, Virginia. Tens of thousands of military and civilian employees commute to Arlington daily.
Fort Belvoir (Fairfax County — Lorton/Mount Vernon area): Fort Belvoir employs more people than the Pentagon, with over 145 mission partner organizations. Home to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and multiple other DoD agencies. Primary communities: Lorton, Woodbridge, Fairfax Station, and nearby Northern Virginia suburbs.
Marine Corps Base Quantico (Prince William County — Triangle/Quantico area): A 64,000-acre (100 square mile) facility spanning three Virginia counties. Quantico is home to Marine Officer Candidates School (OCS), The Basic School (TBS), Marine Corps University, and — uniquely — both the FBI Academy and the DEA Academy. Primary
communities: Triangle, Stafford, Dumfries, and Woodbridge.
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (Arlington County): Adjacent to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. Home to the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) — the Army’s official ceremonial unit responsible for Arlington National Cemetery funerals and White House ceremonies. Henderson Hall houses Marine Corps Headquarters.
Naval Station Norfolk (Norfolk, Hampton Roads): The world’s largest naval station — spanning 4,300 acres with 13 piers and supporting over 75 ships and 130+ aircraft. Home to Fleet Forces Command, multiple carrier strike groups, and tens of thousands of Navy personnel. Economic impact: 83,000 jobs and approximately $10 billion annually. Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk are the primary communities.
Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) (Hampton and Newport News): A combined Air Force and Army installation. The Langley portion is home to Air Combat Command (ACC) headquarters and approximately one-quarter of all F-22 Raptors in the Air Force. The Fort Eustis portion houses the Army Transportation School and the 7th Transportation Brigade. Economic impact: $3.7 billion, 46,000 jobs. Primary communities: Hampton, Newport News, York County (Yorktown/Poquoson area).
Naval Air Station Oceana (Virginia Beach): Master Jet Base for the US Navy’s East Coast aviation operations — primary home of EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (Portsmouth): The largest naval shipyard in the United States — the only East Coast facility capable of dry-docking a nuclear aircraft carrier.
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (Virginia
Beach/Norfolk): Primary US Navy training base for amphibious forces and Naval Special Warfare (Navy SEALs).
Fort Gregg-Adams (Prince George County — near Petersburg): Formerly Fort Lee. Home to the Army Quartermaster School, Ordnance School, and Combined Arms Support Command.
Fort Walker (Caroline County): Formerly Fort A.P. Hill. A large maneuver training area in central Virginia.
Hampton Roads — Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, and Suffolk — is one of the most active VA loan markets anywhere in the United States. VA financing is the dominant purchase product across the region, reflecting the enormous
active-duty and veteran population. Home prices in Hampton Roads are among the most affordable in the country relative to income for a major metropolitan area, making VA’s zero-down benefit particularly impactful.
Virginia allows all military retirees to subtract up to $40,000 of retirement pay from state taxable income (no age requirement, as of 2025). Virginia HB 2700 proposes to remove the $40,000 cap entirely starting in 2026, making all military retirement income tax-free. Verify current legislative status with your tax advisor.
Yes. For veterans with full entitlement, VA Loans have no dollar limit — you can purchase in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, and Loudoun with zero down regardless of the purchase price, subject to lender approval and income qualification.
Exceptional. Hampton Roads has one of the highest concentrations of active-duty military, veterans, and military families in the country. Home prices are affordable relative to income, VA zero-down financing is widely accepted by sellers, and the regional lender community has deep VA loan expertise.
