Richmond vs Virginia Beach
Richmond, Virginia versus Virginia Beach, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Virginia Beach edges out Richmond on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Richmond | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $60k | $88k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $64k |
| Home Value | $308k | $344k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 0.82% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.27% | 10.93% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 38°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1 in | 54.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.8 in | 3.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 192 days | 198 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 19.3 | 2.3 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 89.0 | 52.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1413/100k | 1013/100k |
| Property Crime | 3440/100k | 1745/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 227,171 | 457,900 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 37.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+69 | Even |
| White (%) | 41.8% | 59.9% |
| Black (%) | 43.7% | 18.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.6% | 8.8% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 6.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 11.7/20 | 9.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.0% | 93.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 35.79 | 3.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Richmond or Virginia Beach more affordable?
- Richmond has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Richmond's $56k and Virginia Beach's $64k. Median rent is $1k in Richmond versus $2k in Virginia Beach.
- Is Richmond or Virginia Beach safer?
- Virginia Beach has the lower violent crime rate. Richmond reports 1413/100k and Virginia Beach reports 1013/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Richmond or Virginia Beach?
- The median home value is $308k in Richmond and $344k in Virginia Beach, so homes are more affordable in Richmond.