MoveMap
Moving Guides/Charlottesville

Moving to Charlottesville

What you need to know before relocating to Charlottesville, Virginia. Data-driven insights on housing, jobs, safety, and quality of life.

Is Charlottesville a Good Place to Live?

Based on data across cost of living, job market, safety, and education, Charlottesville compares favorably on multiple dimensions. Highlights include median household income ($92,265) exceeds the national median; low unemployment rate (2.5%) signals a strong job market; violent crime rate (236/100k) is well below the national average.

Charlottesville at a Glance

Population
225K
Median Income
$92,265
Median Rent
$1,540/mo
Median Home Price
$431,200
Unemployment
2.5%
Avg Commute
91266 min

Cost of Living in Charlottesville

The median rent in Charlottesville is $1,540/month, while the median home value is $431,200. With a median household income of $92,265, residents spend roughly 20% of monthly income on rent.

Overall, the Charlottesville metro area is classified as average compared to other US metros.

Rent vs. National Avg
10% above
Home Price vs. National Avg
41% above

Job Market

Charlottesville has a median household income of $92,265, which is 24% above the national median. The local unemployment rate is 2.5%, compared to the national average of 3.7%.

Safety in Charlottesville

The violent crime rate in Charlottesville is 236 per 100,000 residents, which is 38% below the national average of 380.

Property crime rate: 1659 per 100,000 residents.

Education in Virginia

Virginia has a high school graduation rate of 93% and per-pupil spending of $19,546/year. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1.

42% of Virginia adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Healthcare Access

Virginia has 304 physicians per 100,000 residents, a 8.2% uninsured rate, and 2.5 hospital beds per 1,000 people. Life expectancy in Virginia is 77.7 years.

Pros and Cons of Living in Charlottesville

+Pros

  • Median household income ($92,265) exceeds the national median
  • Low unemployment rate (2.5%) signals a strong job market
  • Violent crime rate (236/100k) is well below the national average
  • High school graduation rate of 93%

-Cons

  • Home prices ($431,200) are above the US median
  • Longer-than-average commute (91266 min)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Charlottesville a good place to live?

Charlottesville, Virginia has several attributes that make it an attractive place to live, including median household income ($92,265) exceeds the national median and low unemployment rate (2.5%) signals a strong job market. It scores well on multiple quality-of-life metrics relative to the national average.

What is the cost of living in Charlottesville?

The median rent in Charlottesville is $1,540/month and the median home value is $431,200. The median household income is $92,265. Overall the metro is considered average.

Is Charlottesville safe?

Charlottesville has a violent crime rate of 236 incidents per 100,000 residents. The national average is approximately 380 per 100,000.

What is the job market like in Charlottesville?

Charlottesville has an unemployment rate of 2.5%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. The median household income is $92,265.

Explore More About Charlottesville