2026 editionSouthPop. 8,880,107Capital Richmond10th state, admitted 1788Cook PVI D+5
Is Virginia a Good Place to Live? Virginia Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Virginia ranks #15 of 50 with a composite score of 67.7 and a B+ grade, strongest in economy (#7) and weakest in livability (#35). The median household earns $92,090 (14% above the national median), homes typically cost $414,662 (12% above the national average), and violent crime is 206 per 100,000 (37% below the national average).
Northern Virginia delivers the state's economy rank of #7, and violent crime of 206 per hundred thousand (37% below the national average) holds up beyond the Beltway. The catch is a family of four at $75,000 left with a $21,950 shortfall, driven by Northern Virginia housing and childcare at $17,264, numbers that do not apply in Lynchburg or Roanoke.
Virginia by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Virginia's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Virginia overview
Virginia scores above the national average in 7 of 11 categories and ranks #1 of 14 states in the South, behind no other state in the region. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (206, 37% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($414,662, 12% above the national average). With 1 top-10 finish and no bottom-10 category, its weaknesses are relative, not absolute.
Where does Virginia rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Virginia is top 10 in 1 and bottom 10 in 0.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 64.6 | #7 of 50 | A | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 3.4% and median household income is $92,090. |
| Safety | 79.3 | #13 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 205.9 violent crimes and 1,353.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 61.4 | #17 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 77.5 years, 32.3% of adults have obesity, and 6.9% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 65.4 | #14 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 275 in NAEP math and 256 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 89.1%. |
| Affordability | 60.5 | #34 of 50 | C+ | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $414,662 (4.5x median income); cost of living index 101.1 (100 = US); center-based infant care $17,264 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 62.8 | #20 of 50 | B | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $2,830 of debt per resident, has 80% of pensions funded, and holds a AAA credit rating. |
| Growth | 45.1 | #19 of 50 | B | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.69% last year; Census net domestic migration is +0.7 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 47.8 | #29 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 28.3 minutes, 3% of workers use public transit, and 15.8% work from home. |
| Livability | 27.3 | #35 of 50 | C | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.795 restaurants and 0.021 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.024 bars and 0.07 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 20.1 | #30 of 50 | C+ | 6% | 29.4 | 10.5% of its land is public, with 2.59 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 48.0 | #15 of 50 | B+ | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 37, 10% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 5.5. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Virginia's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Virginia bulges toward economy and dips at livability.
How expensive is Virginia?
Virginia's cost of living index is 101.1 against a national baseline of 100, 1% above the national average and #36 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $414,662 (12% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $109,920, $17,830 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Lynchburg is cheapest (index 89.4) and Leesburg priciest (108.9).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cool marketRanked #19 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #28 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $17,830 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Virginia housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Virginia | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$21,950 | −$11,758 | #34 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$28,402 | +$31,418 | #33 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$32,263 | +$35,970 | #32 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Virginia?
Virginia's tax mix is low sales tax, with income and property taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.86% of income, 0.1 points above the national average (#28 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.76% of home value (#18), and combined sales tax averages 5.77% (#10).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 62.8 out of 100, #20 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Virginia safe?
Virginia reports 206 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 37% below the national average and #8 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,354 per 100,000, 12% below the national average (#18 of 50). The safety score is 79.3 out of 100, #13 of 50; among tracked cities, Virginia Beach has the lowest violent crime rate.
Virginia vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Virginia
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 456,349 | 100 | 1,485 |
| Alexandria | 156,976 | 142 | 1,654 |
| Harrisonburg | 51,392 | 211 | 1,401 |
| Hampton | 137,557 | 276 | 2,878 |
| Chesapeake | 252,583 | 319 | 1,478 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 Virginia cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Virginia?
Virginia's unemployment rate is 3.4%, 0.6 points below the national average and #12 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $92,090, 14% above the national median. Real GDP grew +2.3% in the latest year (#17 of 50) and GDP per capita is $66,440, 3% above the national average. The population is growing 0.69% a year, 0.2 points above the national average. The economy score is 64.6 out of 100, #7 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Virginia, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $266,202 | $268,864 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
| Lawyers | $176,216 | $177,978 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
| Software Developers | $161,842 | $163,460 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $126,383 | $127,647 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
| General & Operations Managers | $123,302 | $124,535 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Virginia's schools and healthcare?
Virginia's education score is 65.4 out of 100, #14 of 50. Eighth graders average 275 in NAEP math (#22 of 50) and 256 in reading (#29 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 89.1%, 3.5 points above the national average (#9 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leesburg | 95% | 11.6 | $19,934 |
| Charlottesville | 91.7% | 12.4 | $19,611 |
| Virginia Beach | 91% | 15.1 | $14,888 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
Virginia is #17 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 77.5 years, 0.6 years above the national average. 32.3% of adults have obesity (#16 of 50) and 6.9% of residents have no health insurance (#22 of 50). The health score is 61.4 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Virginia, and who is leaving?
Virginia's flows are close to even: 135,609 households moved in and 135,188 moved out in the latest IRS release, a net of +421, or 0.0 per 1,000 residents (#26 of 50), too small to call a direction. Arriving households report an average income of $82,327 against $89,328 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +1.6K people (265.4K in, 263.8K out, ±21.6K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1Maryland15,079 · $83,051
- 2North Carolina12,599 · $68,808
- 3Florida12,414 · $81,753
- 4California9,309 · $94,448
- 5New York8,124 · $79,675
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1North Carolina15,148 · $79,449
- 2Florida14,194 · $118,663
- 3Maryland13,353 · $87,911
- 4Texas9,124 · $90,894
- 5California8,264 · $92,364
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Virginia?
By composite score, the best of the 20 Virginia cities we track are Reston (75.8), Arlington (75), and McLean (72.6). Lynchburg is the cheapest (cost index 89.4), McLean the richest ($250,001), and Suffolk the fastest growing (+1.6% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Virginia cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Virginia
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Virginia Beach | 100 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Lynchburg | cost of living index 89.4 |
| Most walkable | Harrisonburg | walkability 14.9 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Lynchburg | median AQI 30 (county) |
| Best schools | Leesburg | 95% graduation rate |
| Richest | McLean | $250,001 |
Among the 20 Virginia cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Virginia
Federal contracting, data centers and the state's highest incomes and rents; Metro reaches Reston and Ashburn, and the schools are the draw for families.
Navy towns on the water: Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are the suburbs, Norfolk and Newport News the older cores; humid, flat, flood-prone, and far cheaper than the north.
State government, banking and a growing food scene at moderate prices; Tuckahoe and the west end are where families land; Charlottesville is its own pricey university town.
Harrisonburg, poultry, colleges and the interstate between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghenies; cooler, drier and cheaper than anything east of the mountains.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reston | A+ | 75.8 | 64,414 | $148,710 | — | 108.9 |
| 2 | Arlington | A+ | 75.0 | 236,254 | $142,114 | — | 108.9 |
| 3 | McLean | A+ | 72.6 | 49,627 | $250,001 | — | 108.9 |
| 4 | Centreville | A+ | 71.5 | 71,706 | $139,510 | — | 108.9 |
| 5 | Leesburg | A+ | 69.7 | 49,171 | $145,205 | 237 | 108.9 |
| 6 | Alexandria | A+ | 68.9 | 156,976 | $119,681 | 142 | 108.9 |
| 7 | Charlottesville | A | 63.3 | 45,437 | $74,824 | 277 | 99.1 |
| 8 | Virginia Beach | A | 63.1 | 456,349 | $92,968 | 100 | 97.9 |
| 9 | Tuckahoe | B+ | 61.8 | 49,183 | $102,264 | — | 97.9 |
| 10 | Chesapeake | B+ | 59.4 | 252,583 | $95,373 | 319 | 97.9 |
| 11 | Harrisonburg | B+ | 59.4 | 51,392 | $62,254 | 211 | 94.9 |
| 12 | Lynchburg | B+ | 58.8 | 79,497 | $57,947 | 361 | 89.4 |
| 13 | Dale City | B | 57.2 | 71,016 | $111,994 | — | 108.9 |
| 14 | Richmond | B | 56.5 | 229,359 | $64,587 | 441 | 97.9 |
| 15 | Suffolk | B | 56.0 | 98,796 | $92,666 | 365 | 97.9 |
| 16 | Hampton | C+ | 55.0 | 137,557 | $69,621 | 276 | 97.9 |
| 17 | Norfolk | C+ | 54.1 | 233,596 | $66,109 | 399 | 97.9 |
| 18 | Roanoke | C+ | 53.4 | 98,355 | $55,378 | 554 | 93.6 |
| 19 | Newport News | C | 52.0 | 184,216 | $69,634 | 794 | 97.9 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | D | 48.4 | 97,190 | $60,491 | 773 | 97.9 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Virginia cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Virginia for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leesburg | 69.8 | 83.8 | 80.1 | 38.8 |
| 2 | Charlottesville | 67.9 | 78.2 | 68.9 | 59.0 |
| 3 | Harrisonburg | 67.8 | 64.4 | 83.3 | 73.7 |
| 4 | Virginia Beach | 67.7 | 63.8 | 89.7 | 62.1 |
| 5 | Centreville | 67.4 | 71.5 | — | 39.8 |
Who is Virginia best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Virginia cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Virginia compare with its neighbors?
Virginia ranks #15. Among its bordering states, North Carolina ranks highest (#23) and West Virginia lowest (#44). North Carolina is the most similar on the composite score and West Virginia the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | #15 | 67.7 | $92,090 | $414,662 | 101.1 | 206 | 8.86% | |
| North Carolina | #23 | 59.1 | $73,958 | $334,773 | 94.3 | 330 | 8.18% | Compare → |
| Tennessee | #24 | 57.1 | $71,997 | $334,108 | 91.9 | 492 | 6.38% | Compare → |
| Maryland | #31 | 53.6 | $102,905 | $428,308 | 105 | 358 | 10.04% | Compare → |
| Kentucky | #41 | 44.8 | $64,526 | $232,577 | 90.2 | 212 | 8.93% | Compare → |
| West Virginia | #44 | 42.8 | $60,798 | $179,496 | 89.5 | 242 | 8.85% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 Virginia city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Virginia numbers say when read together.
Economy is Virginia's strongest suit
Virginia is a #15 state overall but #7 of 50 for economy, 8 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 64.6 against a national average of 47.1. Safety (#13) is next. Economy carries 15% of the composite.
Livability is where Virginia falls furthest behind
Virginia ranks #35 of 50 for livability, 20 places below its overall #15, with a score of 27.3 against a national average of 34.3. At 7% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Violent crime rate is 37% below the national average
Virginia's violent crime rate is 206, 37% below the national average of 328, #8 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $414,662, 12% above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.
Migration is a wash
Net +421 households on 270,797 moves is too small a margin to call a direction; Virginia ranks #26 of 50 on net flow per 1,000 residents. The households arriving report $7,001 less in average income than those leaving ($82,327 against $89,328), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount grows. The largest source is Maryland; the largest destination is North Carolina.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $21,950 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#34 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $28,402 surplus; a retiree couple at a $32,263 surplus. Infant childcare runs $17,264 a year, 10% above the national average.
Virginia outranks every bordering state
None of Virginia's 5 bordering states ranks above its #15; the closest match on the composite is North Carolina. Median income among them runs from $60,798 in West Virginia to $102,905 in Maryland; Virginia is at $92,090.
Frequently asked questions about living in Virginia
Is Virginia a good place to live?
Virginia ranks #15 of 50 with a B+ grade, #1 of 14 in the South. It is top 10 in economy. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (income, violent crime, and unemployment) and trails on home prices, cost of living, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Virginia rank among US states?
Virginia ranks #15 of 50 overall with a composite score of 67.7 (grade B+), and #1 of 14 states in the South. Its best category rank is #7 (economy) and its worst #35 (livability). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so B+ means rank 11–18.
Is it expensive to live in Virginia?
At #36 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Virginia is 1% above the national average: its index is 101.1 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $414,662 (12% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $109,920 against a median household income of $92,090. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $21,950 shortfall after all costs, #34 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Virginia have a state income tax?
Yes. Virginia's top state income tax rate is 5.75% (#29 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 8.86% of income, 0.1 points above the national average. Property tax is 0.76% of home value and combined sales tax 5.77%.
What is the crime rate in Virginia?
Virginia reports 206 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 37% below the national average and #8 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,354 property crimes per 100,000, 12% below the national average (#18). Its safety score is 79.3 out of 100, #13 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Virginia have good schools?
Virginia is #14 of 50 for education (score 65.4 out of 100). Its public school students average 275 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#22) and 256 in eighth-grade reading (#29), and the high school graduation rate is 89.1%, 3.5 points above the national average (#9). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Leesburg has the highest graduation rate at 95%.
Is Virginia gaining or losing people?
Neither, to any meaningful degree: Virginia netted +421 households in the latest IRS release on 135,609 arrivals and 135,188 departures, 0.0 per 1,000 residents (#26 of 50), a flow too small to call a direction. The largest source of arrivals is Maryland (15,079 households) and the most common destination is North Carolina (15,148). Arriving households report an average income of $82,327 against $89,328 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Virginia a red or blue state?
Virginia leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+5, meaning it votes about 5 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What is the best part of Virginia to live in?
Depends on who pays you. Federal salary: Arlington, Alexandria or Reston to skip the drive, Loudoun or Prince William for a yard. Navy: Virginia Beach or Chesapeake. Moderate budget with a city: Richmond, or Tuckahoe on its west side. Retiring or remote: Charlottesville is expensive for its size, while Roanoke, Harrisonburg and Lynchburg give a real downtown at the state's lowest costs.
Does Virginia get hurricanes?
Rarely a direct hit, often the water. FEMA scores Virginia's hazard risk at 5.5, #5 lowest, but Hampton Roads sits at sea level and Norfolk floods on a high tide with the wrong wind. Storm remnants up the Blue Ridge cause flash floods. Flood insurance in Norfolk, Hampton and Virginia Beach is the cost the cost-of-living index misses; inland the hazard is ice storms.
Is Virginia tax-friendly for retirees?
Partly. Social Security is not taxed and Virginians over sixty-five get an age deduction that shrinks as income rises. Pensions and withdrawals are taxed at up to 5.75%, the gap with Florida or Tennessee. Property tax is low at 0.76% and many localities offer relief for older homeowners. The state ranks #15 for retirees; the Carolinas are cheaper, which is where the outbound flow goes.
Is Virginia a good place to raise a family?
Ranked #17 for families, on the strength of schools (#14 for education) and crime 37% below the national average. The cost is the problem: infant care runs $17,264, #33 cheapest, and Northern Virginia housing means a family of four at $75,000 comes out at a $21,950 shortfall after costs. Families who want the schools without the price move out to Stafford, western Loudoun or the Richmond suburbs.
Do I need a car in Virginia?
Almost everywhere, yes. 3% of commuters use transit statewide and the mean commute is 28.3 minutes. The exception is Arlington and Alexandria, where Metro, buses and sidewalks make a car optional. Richmond has a bus rapid transit line and Hampton Roads has a short light rail line, but neither replaces a car. The annual car tax makes owning one cost more here.
What is the weather like in Virginia year-round?
Humid summers everywhere, winters that depend on elevation. Hampton Roads and Richmond get muggy summers and light winters. Northern Virginia gets a few real snowstorms and the ice that shuts the Beltway. The Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge run cooler and drier. Fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway is the season people move for; August in Norfolk is the one they warn about.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Virginia's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.