Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Virginia a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Virginia.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Old Dominion based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Virginia, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 133 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Virginia For 2025
- Poquoson city
- Goochland County
- Loudoun County
- New Kent County
- Arlington County
- Hanover County
- James City County
- Falls Church city
- York County
- Albemarle County
Poquoson City is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Virginia. And you should avoid Lee County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Virginia. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Virginia and the cheapest places to live in Virginia.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Virginia For 2025
1. Poquoson City
Biggest Place: Poquoson
Population: 12,556
Median Income: $120,919 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $403,000 (19th best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.8% (3rd best)
More on Poquoson City:
2. Goochland County
Biggest Place: Goochland
Population: 25,613
Median Income: $118,695 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $483,700 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.6% (14th best)
More on Goochland County:
3. Loudoun County
Biggest Place: Leesburg
Population: 427,082
Median Income: $178,707 (best)
Median Home Price: $701,000 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (32nd best)
More on Loudoun County:
4. New Kent County
Biggest Place: New Kent
Population: 24,139
Median Income: $120,125 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $371,500 (27th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7% (18th best)
More on New Kent County:
5. Arlington County
Biggest Place: Arlington
Population: 235,463
Median Income: $140,160 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $864,800 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (33rd best)
More on Arlington County:
6. Hanover County
Biggest Place: Mechanicsville
Population: 111,652
Median Income: $109,504 (18th best)
Median Home Price: $372,700 (26th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7% (17th best)
More on Hanover County:
7. James City County
Biggest Place:
Population: 80,046
Median Income: $107,046 (20th best)
Median Home Price: $419,200 (17th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (47th best)
More on James City County:
8. Falls Church City
Biggest Place: Falls Church
Population: 14,593
Median Income: $154,734 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $1,005,400 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (119th best)
More on Falls Church City:
9. York County
Biggest Place: Bethel Manor
Population: 70,590
Median Income: $108,326 (19th best)
Median Home Price: $411,200 (18th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (72nd best)
More on York County:
10. Albemarle County
Biggest Place: University of Virginia
Population: 113,683
Median Income: $102,617 (2best)
Median Home Price: $471,000 (12th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (40th best)
More on Albemarle County:
Methodology: How do you determine which Virginia county is the best?
To give you the best county in Virginia, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Virginia across each of the criteria from one to 133, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Virginia.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Old Dominion.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Virginia.
Read on to see why Poquoson City is the best county, while Lee County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Virginia.
Summary: The Best Counties In Virginia To Call Home For 2025
Living in Virginia can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Virginia are Poquoson city, Goochland County, Loudoun County, New Kent County, Arlington County, Hanover County, James City County, Falls Church city, York County, and Albemarle County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Virginia according to the data:
- Lee County
- Danville City
- Galax City
For more Virginia reading, check out:
- Best Counties To Live In Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In Virginia
- Best Places To Buy A House In Virginia
- Richest Cities In Virginia
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Virginia
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poquoson City | 12,556 | $120,919 | $403,000 |
| 2 | Goochland County | 25,613 | $118,695 | $483,700 |
| 3 | Loudoun County | 427,082 | $178,707 | $701,000 |
| 4 | New Kent County | 24,139 | $120,125 | $371,500 |
| 5 | Arlington County | 235,463 | $140,160 | $864,800 |
| 6 | Hanover County | 111,652 | $109,504 | $372,700 |
| 7 | James City County | 80,046 | $107,046 | $419,200 |
| 8 | Falls Church City | 14,593 | $154,734 | $1,005,400 |
| 9 | York County | 70,590 | $108,326 | $411,200 |
| 10 | Albemarle County | 113,683 | $102,617 | $471,000 |
| 11 | Clarke County | 15,060 | $114,185 | $538,900 |
| 12 | King George County | 27,468 | $110,517 | $395,900 |
| 13 | Powhatan County | 31,074 | $110,667 | $381,300 |
| 14 | Botetourt County | 33,875 | $80,467 | $268,900 |
| 15 | Fauquier County | 73,935 | $129,495 | $543,700 |
| 16 | Lexington City | 7,420 | $89,598 | $275,300 |
| 17 | Roanoke County | 96,793 | $82,931 | $267,300 |
| 18 | Stafford County | 160,520 | $133,792 | $458,800 |
| 19 | Fairfax County | 1,144,474 | $150,113 | $699,700 |
| 20 | King William County | 18,232 | $85,212 | $276,500 |
| 21 | Gloucester County | 39,228 | $83,689 | $289,200 |
| 22 | Alexandria City | 156,788 | $113,638 | $696,800 |
| 23 | Isle Of Wight County | 39,444 | $96,118 | $333,600 |
| 24 | Virginia Beach City | 457,066 | $90,685 | $366,300 |
| 25 | Fairfax City | 24,478 | $132,774 | $677,400 |
| 26 | Bedford County | 80,254 | $77,644 | $276,600 |
| 27 | Henrico County | 334,434 | $86,397 | $333,600 |
| 28 | Orange County | 37,208 | $94,175 | $337,300 |
| 29 | Chesterfield County | 371,610 | $98,910 | $336,700 |
| 30 | Augusta County | 77,713 | $79,972 | $281,400 |
| 31 | Madison County | 13,931 | $82,972 | $331,400 |
| 32 | Salem City | 25,477 | $66,716 | $244,800 |
| 33 | Prince William County | 484,625 | $128,873 | $500,600 |
| 34 | Fluvanna County | 27,764 | $91,959 | $281,700 |
| 35 | Montgomery County | 99,159 | $70,769 | $283,600 |
| 36 | Chesapeake City | 251,153 | $94,189 | $359,100 |
| 37 | Rockbridge County | 22,578 | $63,975 | $238,700 |
| 38 | Frederick County | 93,355 | $95,603 | $355,000 |
| 39 | Prince George County | 42,873 | $88,225 | $268,300 |
| 40 | Greene County | 20,850 | $85,268 | $315,300 |
| 41 | Spotsylvania County | 143,876 | $109,576 | $375,000 |
| 42 | Culpeper County | 53,563 | $96,098 | $386,400 |
| 43 | Bland County | 6,211 | $61,375 | $157,100 |
| 44 | Craig County | 4,881 | $67,778 | $210,500 |
| 45 | Suffolk City | 96,638 | $90,089 | $329,600 |
| 46 | Manassas City | 42,674 | $117,919 | $434,700 |
| 47 | Northumberland County | 12,085 | $69,500 | $333,100 |
| 48 | Williamsburg City | 15,564 | $70,206 | $393,200 |
| 49 | Middlesex County | 10,774 | $74,154 | $299,800 |
| 50 | Mathews County | 8,517 | $75,487 | $348,800 |
| 51 | Surry County | 6,552 | $71,458 | $235,200 |
| 52 | Cumberland County | 9,745 | $57,057 | $220,100 |
| 53 | Franklin County | 54,958 | $68,348 | $222,800 |
| 54 | Dinwiddie County | 28,083 | $83,898 | $246,100 |
| 55 | Colonial Heights City | 18,210 | $76,250 | $231,700 |
| 56 | Manassas Park City | 16,923 | $100,668 | $381,200 |
| 57 | Charlottesville City | 45,863 | $69,829 | $448,400 |
| 58 | Rockingham County | 84,739 | $78,468 | $287,900 |
| 59 | Floyd County | 15,560 | $61,401 | $215,500 |
| 60 | Fredericksburg City | 28,383 | $85,368 | $461,500 |
| 61 | Caroline County | 31,541 | $86,267 | $283,100 |
| 62 | Rappahannock County | 7,409 | $98,125 | $490,200 |
| 63 | Campbell County | 55,398 | $62,608 | $199,200 |
| 64 | Louisa County | 39,012 | $80,343 | $275,600 |
| 65 | Giles County | 16,610 | $64,819 | $143,500 |
| 66 | Amherst County | 31,385 | $67,298 | $197,200 |
| 67 | Charles City County | 6,686 | $70,339 | $224,100 |
| 68 | Bath County | 4,123 | $61,709 | $206,000 |
| 69 | Nelson County | 14,777 | $68,525 | $283,000 |
| 70 | Pulaski County | 33,771 | $60,767 | $182,500 |
| 71 | Staunton City | 25,765 | $62,586 | $239,300 |
| 72 | Warren County | 41,104 | $84,331 | $315,800 |
| 73 | Washington County | 53,913 | $62,774 | $201,800 |
| 74 | King And Queen County | 6,676 | $72,851 | $240,900 |
| 75 | Richmond County | 9,047 | $64,184 | $214,200 |
| 76 | Southampton County | 17,988 | $68,465 | $208,800 |
| 77 | Hampton City | 137,334 | $67,758 | $234,100 |
| 78 | Shenandoah County | 44,630 | $64,437 | $265,800 |
| 79 | Alleghany County | 14,962 | $55,160 | $122,300 |
| 80 | Patrick County | 17,606 | $50,938 | $146,500 |
| 81 | Franklin City | 8,212 | $65,125 | $227,200 |
| 82 | Lancaster County | 10,876 | $67,169 | $307,600 |
| 83 | Sussex County | 10,793 | $62,821 | $178,500 |
| 84 | Prince Edward County | 21,932 | $55,082 | $203,700 |
| 85 | Appomattox County | 16,424 | $62,337 | $189,200 |
| 86 | Waynesboro City | 22,574 | $56,364 | $236,600 |
| 87 | Wythe County | 28,219 | $55,359 | $172,100 |
| 88 | Buena Vista City | 6,612 | $54,458 | $153,500 |
| 89 | Newport News City | 184,774 | $66,718 | $243,300 |
| 90 | Amelia County | 13,342 | $66,339 | $239,700 |
| 91 | Smyth County | 29,585 | $46,859 | $125,800 |
| 92 | Emporia City | 5,633 | $49,375 | $131,100 |
| 93 | Lynchburg City | 79,255 | $59,808 | $211,800 |
| 94 | Mecklenburg County | 30,431 | $51,691 | $169,400 |
| 95 | Northampton County | 12,115 | $55,933 | $279,100 |
| 96 | Highland County | 2,265 | $62,946 | $195,700 |
| 97 | Radford City | 16,505 | $52,791 | $211,700 |
| 98 | Portsmouth City | 97,299 | $58,972 | $229,400 |
| 99 | Dickenson County | 13,920 | $43,831 | $101,100 |
| 100 | Page County | 23,750 | $59,396 | $221,800 |