If your retirement requirements involve hiking through the Appalachian Mountains, soaking up the sun at Virginia Beach, and paying less in taxes, then Virginia is for you.
That’s right. Virginia is not only for lovers. It’s also for people looking to spend their retirement years in safe, affordable cities with plenty to do.
To determine Virginia’s best places to retire, we looked at several important factors like cost of living, crime, amenities, rent, and the distance to the closest national airport for every place with over 10,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 37 cities.
The competition for Virginia’s best place to retire was fierce. It’s not lost on us that many cities on this list are also the state’s safest places and some of the best places in Virginia to raise a family. And there must be something super special about Poquoson and Falls Church.
They keep showing up on all of Virginia’s best of the best lists.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Virginia For 2026
What’s the best place to retire in Virginia for 2026? The best place to retire in Virginia is Martinsville according to the most recent data.
If you choose to live in one of Virginia’s best places to retire, you could be strolling the Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville or rubbing elbows with Staunton’s finest on the greens at The Club at Ironwood. And if you play your cards right, you could just become a permanent resident of Virginia’s best place to retire.
Why did Martinsville take the top spot? And where are Virginia Beach and Chesapeake?
For more Virginia state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In Virginia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Virginia
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Virginia For 2026
/10
Population: 13,658
Median Income: $46,727
Median Home Price: $133,032
Median Rent: $808
Distance to Closest Airport: 81 miles
More on Martinsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,176
Median Income: $83,331
Median Home Price: $681,948
Median Rent: $1,418
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Warrenton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 25,948
Median Income: $65,581
Median Home Price: $308,028
Median Rent: $1,024
Distance to Closest Airport: 102 miles
More on Staunton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 22,959
Median Income: $54,729
Median Home Price: $232,748
Median Rent: $1,106
Distance to Closest Airport: 14 miles
More on Hopewell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 42,214
Median Income: $44,423
Median Home Price: $156,398
Median Rent: $836
Distance to Closest Airport: 59 miles
More on Danville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 12,639
Median Income: $120,972
Median Home Price: $462,479
Median Rent: $1,707
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Poquoson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 14,710
Median Income: $143,262
Median Home Price: $789,603
Median Rent: $2,190
Distance to Closest Airport: 15 miles
More on Falls Church: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 15,798
Median Income: $75,604
Median Home Price: $464,103
Median Rent: $1,407
Distance to Closest Airport: 15 miles
More on Williamsburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 15,296
Median Income: $64,838
Median Home Price: $383,199
Median Rent: $1,135
Distance to Closest Airport: 39 miles
More on Front Royal: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 22,841
Median Income: $59,994
Median Home Price: $312,910
Median Rent: $1,020
Distance to Closest Airport: 94 miles
More on Waynesboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Old Dominion for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in Virginia to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Old Dominion — 593 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 37 places from across the state.
For these 37, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 37, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Martinsville, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in Virginia.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Virginia Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Virginia goes to Martinsville.
The best places to retire in Virginia are Martinsville, Warrenton, Staunton, Hopewell, Danville, Poquoson, Falls Church, Williamsburg, Front Royal, and Waynesboro.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Manassas
- Blacksburg
- Fredericksburg
For more Virginia reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Virginia
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martinsville | 13,658 | $46,727 | $133,032 | $808 |
| 2 | Warrenton | 10,176 | $83,331 | $681,948 | $1,418 |
| 3 | Staunton | 25,948 | $65,581 | $308,028 | $1,024 |
| 4 | Hopewell | 22,959 | $54,729 | $232,748 | $1,106 |
| 5 | Danville | 42,214 | $44,423 | $156,398 | $836 |
| 6 | Poquoson | 12,639 | $120,972 | $462,479 | $1,707 |
| 7 | Falls Church | 14,710 | $143,262 | $789,603 | $2,190 |
| 8 | Williamsburg | 15,798 | $75,604 | $464,103 | $1,407 |
| 9 | Front Royal | 15,296 | $64,838 | $383,199 | $1,135 |
| 10 | Waynesboro | 22,841 | $59,994 | $312,910 | $1,020 |