63 have matched ACS place data.
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State index
Virginia state guide
Compare large Virginia cities by 2025 Census population, young-grad fit, BLS state unemployment, schooling access, cost pressure, commute, and safety-check notes. The current Virginia subset includes 63 South city pages with a combined 2025 population estimate of 2,946,444.
What the current Virginia catalog shows
Dumfries, Virginia has the strongest verified population-growth signal in this Virginia subset at +12.86% since the 2020 estimates base. Smithfield, Virginia has the lowest ACS rent-to-income baseline among the matched catalog cities at 12.7%. These figures describe the WhereToLive.us city subset, not a statewide average.
Median of matched city ACS gross-rent estimates; not a statewide rent.
Median of matched city ACS household-income estimates; not a statewide income.
Median of matched city ACS owner-occupied home values.
Fairfax, Virginia leads this subset at 80/100.
Median of matched city approximate ACS commute estimates.
| City | Catalog | Grad fit | Median rent | Median income | 2025 population | City unemployment | Growth | Jobs | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, Virginia | #43 | 61/100 | $1,714 | $92,968 | 453,737 | 4.0% | -1.24% | competitive | rent watch |
| Chesapeake, Virginia | #92 | 69/100 | $1,586 | $95,373 | 255,332 | 4.9% | +2.44% | competitive | rent watch |
| Richmond, Virginia | #96 | 66/100 | $1,372 | $64,587 | 237,257 | 5.7% | +4.74% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Norfolk, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 58/100 | $1,321 | $66,109 | 231,013 | 5.7% | -2.97% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Newport News, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 61/100 | $1,339 | $69,634 | 183,230 | 5.8% | -1.61% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Alexandria, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 69/100 | $2,089 | $119,681 | 160,662 | 3.3% | +0.75% | competitive | rent watch |
| Hampton, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 63/100 | $1,427 | $69,621 | 137,315 | 6.3% | +0.11% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Suffolk, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 77/100 | $1,563 | $92,666 | 104,699 | 5.0% | +10.87% | competitive | rent watch |
| Roanoke, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 66/100 | $996 | $55,378 | 99,111 | 5.6% | -0.91% | competitive | rent watch |
| Portsmouth, Virginia | Virginia coverage | 57/100 | $1,300 | $60,491 | 96,777 | 6.6% | -1.19% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Lynchburg, Virginia | 2025 population #459 | 69/100 | $1,073 | $57,947 | 81,347 | 5.3% | +2.95% | competitive | rent watch |
| Harrisonburg, Virginia | 2025 population #806 | 61/100 | $1,184 | $62,254 | 50,839 | 6.9% | -1.87% | competitive | rent watch |
| Leesburg, Virginia | 2025 population #825 | 75/100 | $2,105 | $145,205 | 49,917 | 2.8% | +3.34% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Blacksburg, Virginia | 2025 population #923 | 58/100 | $1,359 | $50,182 | 45,104 | 3.1% | +0.60% | competitive | high rent burden |
| Charlottesville, Virginia | 2025 population #937 | 61/100 | $1,540 | $74,824 | 44,388 | 3.7% | -4.58% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Manassas, Virginia | 2025 population #939 | 69/100 | $1,850 | $113,590 | 44,332 | 3.8% | +3.64% | competitive | rent watch |
| Danville, Virginia | 2025 population #994 | 58/100 | $836 | $44,423 | 41,647 | 5.6% | -2.19% | competitive | rent watch |
| Petersburg, Virginia | 2025 population #1237 | 57/100 | $1,174 | $50,698 | 33,734 | 10.0% | +0.81% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Fredericksburg, Virginia | 2025 population #1352 | 73/100 | $1,619 | $86,071 | 30,393 | 5.1% | +8.64% | competitive | rent watch |
| Winchester, Virginia | 2025 population #1427 | 64/100 | $1,315 | $63,974 | 28,272 | 6.4% | +0.56% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Staunton, Virginia | 2025 population #1497 | 71/100 | $1,024 | $65,581 | 26,801 | 5.3% | +4.08% | competitive | rent watch |
| Fairfax, Virginia | 2025 population #1500 | 80/100 | $2,245 | $132,348 | 26,772 | 3.3% | +10.88% | competitive | rent watch |
| Salem, Virginia | 2025 population #1559 | 69/100 | $1,133 | $66,725 | 25,816 | 3.6% | +1.87% | competitive | rent watch |
| Herndon, Virginia | 2025 population #1583 | 73/100 | $2,259 | $148,000 | 25,506 | 4.1% | +3.48% | competitive | rent watch |
| Waynesboro, Virginia | 2025 population #1672 | 71/100 | $1,020 | $59,994 | 23,951 | 5.1% | +7.92% | competitive | rent watch |
| Hopewell, Virginia | 2025 population #1713 | 61/100 | $1,106 | $54,729 | 23,261 | 9.2% | +1.00% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Christiansburg, Virginia | 2025 population #1768 | 64/100 | $1,181 | $77,147 | 22,442 | 2.4% | -3.93% | competitive | rent watch |
| Culpeper, Virginia | 2025 population #1791 | 78/100 | $1,416 | $94,721 | 22,074 | 2.3% | +9.92% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Colonial Heights, Virginia | 2025 population #2046 | 70/100 | $1,234 | $76,505 | 18,738 | 3.6% | +3.27% | competitive | rent watch |
| Radford, Virginia | 2025 population #2189 | 76/100 | $1,033 | $57,348 | 17,243 | 8.1% | +7.33% | competitive | rent watch |
| Vienna, Virginia | 2025 population #2239 | 71/100 | $2,391 | $216,953 | 16,691 | 4.4% | +1.31% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Manassas Park, Virginia | 2025 population #2255 | 53/100 | $2,146 | $103,250 | 16,560 | 5.5% | -3.82% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Bristol, Virginia | 2025 population #2270 | 58/100 | $801 | $50,404 | 16,418 | 6.3% | -4.78% | competitive | rent watch |
| Williamsburg, Virginia | 2025 population #2325 | 68/100 | $1,407 | $75,604 | 15,861 | 6.8% | +2.88% | competitive | rent watch |
| Front Royal, Virginia | 2025 population #2345 | 66/100 | $1,135 | $64,838 | 15,722 | 5.0% | +4.82% | competitive | rent watch |
| Falls Church, Virginia | 2025 population #2393 | 72/100 | $2,190 | $143,262 | 15,159 | 5.0% | +3.42% | competitive | rent watch |
| Martinsville, Virginia | 2025 population #2550 | 66/100 | $808 | $46,727 | 13,849 | 2.9% | +2.72% | competitive | rent watch |
| Poquoson, Virginia | 2025 population #2635 | 75/100 | $1,707 | $120,972 | 13,292 | 3.2% | +6.72% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Warrenton, Virginia | 2025 population #3167 | 68/100 | $1,418 | $83,331 | 10,213 | 2.0% | +1.53% | competitive | rent watch |
| Smithfield, Virginia | 2025 population #3438 | 75/100 | $1,195 | $113,158 | 9,112 | 2.5% | +6.77% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Purcellville, Virginia | 2025 population #3492 | 69/100 | $2,222 | $165,121 | 8,890 | 1.4% | -0.44% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Pulaski, Virginia | 2025 population #3519 | 62/100 | $736 | $49,491 | 8,807 | 5.2% | -1.97% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Franklin, Virginia | 2025 population #3606 | 66/100 | $988 | $63,245 | 8,478 | 7.9% | +3.69% | competitive | rent watch |
| Abingdon, Virginia | 2025 population #3664 | 64/100 | $838 | $54,544 | 8,284 | 3.0% | -1.19% | competitive | rent watch |
| Wytheville, Virginia | 2025 population #3711 | 61/100 | $760 | $47,270 | 8,128 | 2.4% | -1.65% | competitive | rent watch |
| Ashland, Virginia | 2025 population #3750 | 70/100 | $1,229 | $61,164 | 7,982 | 4.9% | +5.12% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Vinton, Virginia | 2025 population #3753 | 63/100 | $992 | $65,445 | 7,967 | 0.9% | -0.05% | competitive | rent watch |
| Bedford, Virginia | 2025 population #3770 | 69/100 | $828 | $70,288 | 7,911 | 5.1% | +3.81% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| South Boston, Virginia | 2025 population #3809 | 61/100 | $760 | $44,052 | 7,795 | 5.2% | -2.13% | competitive | rent watch |
| Lexington, Virginia | 2025 population #3814 | 80/100 | $1,081 | $84,517 | 7,769 | 0.6% | +6.29% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Farmville, Virginia | 2025 population #3870 | 64/100 | $859 | $40,966 | 7,593 | 2.9% | +0.65% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Strasburg, Virginia | 2025 population #3939 | 65/100 | $1,017 | $62,464 | 7,380 | 5.5% | +3.70% | competitive | rent watch |
| Bridgewater, Virginia | 2025 population #4098 | 74/100 | $1,216 | $75,280 | 6,924 | 3.4% | +5.00% | competitive | rent watch |
| Buena Vista, Virginia | 2025 population #4177 | 62/100 | $1,112 | $57,833 | 6,672 | 1.4% | +0.59% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Galax, Virginia | 2025 population #4178 | 59/100 | $743 | $38,675 | 6,670 | 5.1% | -0.82% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Dumfries, Virginia | 2025 population #4280 | 70/100 | $1,732 | $82,355 | 6,405 | 3.4% | +12.86% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Woodstock, Virginia | 2025 population #4420 | 68/100 | $1,005 | $76,100 | 6,002 | 5.6% | +3.63% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Covington, Virginia | 2025 population #4562 | 59/100 | $794 | $41,944 | 5,680 | 2.8% | -1.20% | competitive | rent watch |
| Marion, Virginia | 2025 population #4623 | 59/100 | $714 | $40,896 | 5,555 | 4.8% | -3.44% | competitive | rent watch |
| Emporia, Virginia | 2025 population #4669 | 53/100 | $1,037 | $51,899 | 5,447 | 2.9% | -5.32% | competitive | rent stretched |
| Orange, Virginia | 2025 population #4710 | 78/100 | $1,103 | $76,370 | 5,365 | 6.7% | +10.14% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Big Stone Gap, Virginia | 2025 population #4839 | 62/100 | $797 | $54,581 | 5,102 | 7.0% | -3.30% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Richlands, Virginia | 2025 population #4871 | 54/100 | $804 | $37,154 | 5,051 | 5.5% | -4.36% | competitive | rent stretched |