Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Richmond, VA

    Is Richmond a good place to live?

    Watch Richmond

    Richmond ranks #38 of 45 Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (34/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $328,100
    +6.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,314
    per month
    Household income
    $62,671
    median
    Unemployment
    6.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Richmond

    The median home value in Richmond is $328,100 and median rent is $1,314 a month, against a median household income of $62,671. Homes cost about 5.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Richmond crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Virginia the 2025 rate was 210 violent and 1,394 property crimes per 100,000 people — #33 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Richmond, VA

    Richmond has about 227,595 residents, 6.0% unemployment and 26% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Richmond with

    Richmond vs Virginia BeachRichmond vs ChesapeakeRichmond vs ArlingtonRichmond vs NorfolkRichmond vs Newport NewsRichmond vs AlexandriaRichmond vs HamptonRichmond vs Roanoke

    More: Where to move in Virginia · Best counties in Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report