Best places to live in Virginia
Cities and suburbs in Virginia with 25,000+ people, scored against each other: affordability on a $75k salary after taxes and rent (35%), violent crime (30%), schools (20%) and job growth (15%).
| # | City | Score | Rent | Home | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanicsville, VA | 72/100 | $1,724/mo | $351k | 9/10 |
| 2 | Blacksburg, VA | 71/100 | $1,359/mo | $446k | 8/10 |
| 3 | Harrisonburg, VA | 68/100 | $1,184/mo | $299k | 3.1/10 |
| 4 | Virginia Beach, VA | 66/100 | $1,714/mo | $383k | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | 62/100 | $2,322/mo | $895k | 8.9/10 |
| 6 | Charlottesville, VA | 62/100 | $1,540/mo | $487k | 6.3/10 |
| 7 | Winchester, VA | 62/100 | $1,315/mo | $343k | 3.5/10 |
| 8 | Centreville, VA | 60/100 | $2,299/mo | $591k | 8.9/10 |
| 9 | Lynchburg, VA | 58/100 | $1,073/mo | $230k | 3.6/10 |
| 10 | Leesburg, VA | 57/100 | $2,105/mo | $668k | 9/10 |
| 11 | Hampton, VA | 55/100 | $1,427/mo | $246k | 3.7/10 |
| 12 | Reston, VA | 55/100 | $2,231/mo | $642k | 8.9/10 |
| 13 | Springfield, VA | 55/100 | $2,656/mo | $640k | 8.9/10 |
| 14 | Chesapeake, VA | 52/100 | $1,586/mo | $378k | 7.1/10 |
| 15 | Annandale, VA | 52/100 | $1,933/mo | $681k | 8.9/10 |
| 16 | Sterling, VA | 52/100 | $2,138/mo | $526k | 9/10 |
| 17 | Roanoke, VA | 51/100 | $996/mo | $191k | 5.1/10 |
| 18 | Alexandria, VA | 50/100 | $2,089/mo | $735k | 4.1/10 |
| 19 | Suffolk, VA | 48/100 | $1,563/mo | $347k | 5.1/10 |
| 20 | McLean, VA | 48/100 | $3,422/mo | $1.41M | 8.9/10 |
| 21 | Norfolk, VA | 47/100 | $1,321/mo | $290k | 2.7/10 |
| 22 | Tysons, VA | 47/100 | $2,497/mo | $640k | 8.9/10 |
| 23 | Chesterfield, VA | 44/100 | $2,395/mo | $529k | 7.5/10 |
| 24 | Richmond, VA | 42/100 | $1,372/mo | $353k | 1.9/10 |
| 25 | Short Pump, VA | 42/100 | $1,847/mo | $569k | 7.2/10 |
Rent, income and home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Taxes: 2026 federal and state rates for a single filer.
Compare the top 4