Best Life Index › States › Virginia › Cities › Chesapeake

Virginia city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Chesapeake?

What it costs to live in Chesapeake, and how it compares with other Virginia cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

49

48th best value in Virginia

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Virginia cities.

Overall livability

48

52nd overall in Virginia

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Chesapeake is home to about 247,172 people. A typical home runs $291,700 and a household earns around $85,600, a price-to-income ratio of 3.4. Among Virginia's largest cities, it ranks 48th for value and 52nd overall.

Chesapeake at a glance

Median home price

$291,700

31st in VA of 90

Median rent

$1,328/mo

Median household income

$85,600

Home price to income

3.4x

Unemployment

5.1%

58th in VA of 90

School rating

8/10

48th in VA of 90

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in VA of 90

Walk score

30/100

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‹ See all top Virginia cities ranked  ยท  Virginia state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Virginia only. Updated 2026.