Best Life Index › States › Virginia › Cities › Richmond

Virginia city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Richmond?

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

Value score

15

90th best value in Virginia

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

Overall livability

16

90th overall in Virginia

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

Richmond is home to about 225,676 people. A typical home runs $263,000 and a household earns around $54,800, a price-to-income ratio of 4.8. Among Virginia's largest cities, it ranks 90th for value and 90th overall.

Richmond at a glance

Median home price

$263,000

77th in VA of 90

Median rent

$1,132/mo

Median household income

$54,800

Home price to income

4.8x

Unemployment

6.0%

72nd in VA of 90

School rating

4/10

80th in VA of 90

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in VA of 90

Walk score

27/100

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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.