MoveMap
Moving Guides/Richmond

Moving to Richmond

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

Is Richmond a Good Place to Live?

Based on data across cost of living, job market, safety, and education, Richmond compares favorably on multiple dimensions. Highlights include median household income ($84,332) exceeds the national median; low unemployment rate (2.8%) signals a strong job market; violent crime rate (236/100k) is well below the national average.

Richmond at a Glance

Population
1.4M
Median Income
$84,332
Median Rent
$1,491/mo
Median Home Price
$357,600
Unemployment
2.8%
Avg Commute
579133 min

Cost of Living in Richmond

The median rent in Richmond is $1,491/month, while the median home value is $357,600. With a median household income of $84,332, residents spend roughly 21% of monthly income on rent.

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

Rent vs. National Avg
7% above
Home Price vs. National Avg
17% above

Job Market

Richmond has a median household income of $84,332, which is 13% above the national median. The local unemployment rate is 2.8%, compared to the national average of 3.7%.

Safety in Richmond

The violent crime rate in Richmond 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 Richmond

+Pros

  • ✓Median household income ($84,332) exceeds the national median
  • ✓Low unemployment rate (2.8%) signals a strong job market
  • ✓Violent crime rate (236/100k) is well below the national average
  • ✓High school graduation rate of 93%

-Cons

  • ✗Longer-than-average commute (579133 min)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Richmond a good place to live?⌄

Richmond, Virginia has several attributes that make it an attractive place to live, including median household income ($84,332) exceeds the national median and low unemployment rate (2.8%) 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 Richmond?⌄

The median rent in Richmond is $1,491/month and the median home value is $357,600. The median household income is $84,332. Overall the metro is considered average.

Is Richmond safe?⌄

Richmond 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 Richmond?⌄

Richmond has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. The median household income is $84,332.

Explore More About Richmond