Where are the best places to live in Virginia?
Some might say wherever there’s a college basketball team, a NASCAR track, a sunny beach, a snowy mountain, a pot of blue crab, or a hefty Brunswick Stew.
But they would be wrong.
You need to stop and look at the cold, hard facts to understand where the best places to live in Virginia are. And that’s what we did here. We used Saturday Night Science to compare the most recent data on incomes, home prices, cost of living, and crime from the Census, FBI, and Zillow.
When you stumble upon one of the best places in Virginia, you might feel like you’ve won the Virginia Lottery.
$216,953 median income · $1,179,673 median home · #1 best place in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax County, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia’s current status: #1 best place to live in Old Dominion for 2026.
This small town of 16,412 residents is used to being in the headlines. Not only is it located 30 minutes west from the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., but it has remained a solid fixture as Virginia’s best of the best year after year. However, it’s not just it’s quaint village and great schools that have put Vienna on the map, it’s things like the city’s unemployment rate of 4.4% that tells us that the locals work hard and it’s the city’s median income of $216,953/year that tells us that they get paid a lot of money to do so.
And because higher incomes usually generate safer, better places that people want, this demand has increased the median home price here to the highest in the state at $1,179,673.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$143,262 median income · $789,604 median home · #2 best place in Virginia
Located in
Falls Church city, Virginia
Falls Church is right where it should be–the top of our list as the 2nd best place to live in Virginia, and this is why: it’s very, very nice, it has great schools, and it’s super safe.
However, if you want to send your kid(s) to the best school district in the state so that they have their choice of one of the many National Blue Ribbon Schools in this small town of 14,710 residents, you will need to act fast as a lot of people want to live in Falls Church. Folks, it’s a classic case of supply and demand–the median home price here is the #5th most expensive in the state at $789,604, and that’s because everyone wants a piece of the “Falls Church Pie.”
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,280 median income · $375,081 median home · #3 best place in Virginia
Located in
Rockingham County, Virginia
Bridgewater’s tagline is “A Better Life,” and we would have to agree as this city is the 3rd best place to live in Virginia. But, you can’t have a motto like and be one of the best if you don’t have the numbers; and, folks, we’re here to tell you that Bridgewater has the numbers.
If you want to buy a home in Bridgewater, you have one of the best median home prices on our list at $375,081. Incidentally, the overall cost of living here is much less, too–like, 1x less than the state and national average. Living expenses like groceries, health, transportation, and utilities will be very manageable if you can make the city’s median household income of $75,280/year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$84,517 median income · $358,989 median home · #4 best place in Virginia
Located in
Lexington city, Virginia
Virginia really is for lovers and those who want to hold onto the past and this is most evident in Virginia’s 4th best place to live, Lexington. In fact, Lexington is a place where time has stood still with its quintessential small town vibes and idyllic Main St. and neighborhoods. So, we thought it very interesting that this city of 7,525 residents has the youngest median age (23). But, when we cranked the numbers, we soon realized that the youngsters are here because of the city’s affordable cost of living and a median income of $84,517/year.
We’re just confused why Lexington didn’t make the best places for singles in the Old Dominion with all of these youngsters running around?
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$165,121 median income · $909,565 median home · #5 best place in Virginia
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Purcellville has all of the bells and whistles of a big city without big city issues. In fact, it is the 5th best place to live in Virginia.
Purcellville is also one of three cities to make our list that received a perfect score on our SnackAbility scale with high marks in job opportunities, affordability, safety, and amenities. So, we were not surprised to find Purcellville one of the fastest growing cities in the state. However, we were surprised to find the median home price here upwards of $909,565. But, the median household income in Purcellville is $165,121/year, and that’s a good thing because there are a lot of fun things to do in the small town. Word on the street, you don’t want to miss the Purcellville Wine and Food Festival.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$120,972 median income · $462,480 median home · #6 best place in Virginia
Located in
Poquoson city, Virginia
If you have a boat and you’ve had your heart set on living in Virginia, you’re going to want to take a long hard look at the state’s 6th best place to live, Poquoson, before you make any life changing decisions.
Yes, Poquoson is a great place for anyone looking to live on the Atlantic Coast, but it’s also a great choice for anyone looking for stress free living. And in Poquoson, that comes in the form of low crime and an affordable cost of living. The residents here make $120,972/year and the homes cost $462,480; so, the way we look at it, the more you make and the less you have to spend on real estate and living expenses like groceries, healthcare, and utilities, the more you’ll have to spend on coastal excursions.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$145,205 median income · $865,517 median home · #7 best place in Virginia
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Located on the Virginia/Maryland border along the Potomac River, Leesburg is the 7th best place to live in the state.
It’s almost as if time has stood still in this beautiful historic, hip city in Loudoun County. Leesburg has done a great job keeping its streets safe and its cost of living manageable. In fact, the crime rate here is below the national average. To put this in perspective, there were only 908 committed here at the time of this report. The unemployment rate is also well below the national average at 2.8%, so you should have no problem being part of the “cool kids” here who are working hard to make the median income of $145,205/year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$50,182 median income · $420,779 median home · #8 best place in Virginia
Located in
Montgomery County, Virginia
Blacksburg, Virginia, is known for education. It serves as home for Virginia Tech. But the community exists as more than a college town. It’s also one of the best places to live in the state.
The city offers low crime and solid local schools. Economically speaking, the median income in the area hovers at $50,182. The cost of living is about 5%-10% above the national average. Still, home prices remain affordable, with the median home value sitting at $420,779.
Blacksburg is located in the southwest part of the state, near the West Virginia border, in a relatively rural area. Still, a 45-minute drive will get you to Roanoke, the largest city in the area. In town, you can check out VT football games and other amusements related to the college. Or you can take in the natural sites in the region, such as the nearby Pandapas Pond.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$92,968 median income · $427,032 median home · #9 best place in Virginia
Located in
Virginia Beach city, Virginia
The second coastal community to make our list is Virginia’s 9th best place to live, Virginia Beach. This city deserves special recognition as it has managed to hang strong in the top ten for the last two years all while housing the largest population in the state. Even more, they deserve double kudos as they have one of the lowest crime rates in the state as well — solidly below the national average.
And, yes, “beach” is in the name, but it’s not always all fun in the sun in Virginia Beach. The people here work hard–the unemployment rate is the 26th best in the state and the median income is $92,968/year. Virginia Beach has great schools and the kids work hard, too. Not only does Virginia Beach house one of the National Blue Ribbon Schools, Cape Henry Collegiate School, but it has one of the highest graduation rates in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$83,331 median income · $681,948 median home · #10 best place in Virginia
Located in
Fauquier County, Virginia
Warrenton, located in Fauquier County, Virginia, is ranked as the 10th best place to live in the state. This charming town offers a high quality of life with a low cost of living, making it an ideal place to settle down. Warrenton is known for its picturesque location in the Piedmont region of Virginia, east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Warrenton is surrounded by Virginia wine and horse country, offering outdoor adventures and scenic drives. Additionally, Warrenton is in close to the Airlie Conference Center and the historic Vint Hill Farms military facility. If you enjoy city life, Washington, D.C., is just a short drive away.
Warrenton has a median home price that is affordable compared to other areas in Virginia. The town’s median home value of $681,948 makes it an attractive option for homebuyers.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Virginia’s statewide median.
Virginia statewide median: $93,170
Virginia statewide median: $412,467
Virginia statewide median: 4.3%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Virginia
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Virginia
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Virginia, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 5,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Virginia have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Virginia across a number of criteria from one to 62, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Virginia.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Virginia’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Virginia. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Vienna at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In Virginia Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vienna | 10.90 | 16,412 | 4.4% | $1,179,673 | $216,953 | 902 | |
| 2 | Falls Church | 13.65 | 14,710 | 5.0% | $789,604 | $143,262 | 1,632 | |
| 3 | Bridgewater | 14.50 | 6,708 | 3.4% | $375,081 | $75,280 | 611 | |
| 4 | Lexington | 14.75 | 7,525 | 0.6% | $358,989 | $84,517 | 598 | |
| 5 | Purcellville | 14.90 | 8,973 | 1.4% | $909,565 | $165,121 | 713 | |
| 6 | Poquoson | 18.90 | 12,639 | 3.2% | $462,480 | $120,972 | 989 | |
| 7 | Leesburg | 19.30 | 49,171 | 2.8% | $865,517 | $145,205 | 1,847 | |
| 8 | Blacksburg | 19.70 | 45,446 | 3.1% | $420,779 | $50,182 | 797 | |
| 9 | Virginia Beach | 20.65 | 456,349 | 4.0% | $427,032 | $92,968 | 1,728 | |
| 10 | Warrenton | 21.15 | 10,176 | 2.0% | $681,948 | $83,331 | 1,395 | |
| 11 | Smithfield | 21.35 | 8,834 | 2.5% | $393,349 | $113,158 | 1,324 | |
| 12 | Christiansburg | 23.15 | 22,720 | 2.4% | $304,607 | $77,147 | 2,768 | |
| 13 | Alexandria | 23.40 | 156,976 | 3.3% | $676,205 | $119,681 | 2,826 | |
| 14 | Charlottesville | 23.60 | 45,437 | 3.7% | $515,217 | $74,824 | 3,504 | |
| 15 | Vinton | 24.05 | 8,056 | 0.9% | $283,675 | $65,445 | 1,912 | |
| 16 | Fairfax | 24.80 | 25,026 | 3.3% | $792,535 | $132,348 | 2,653 | |
| 17 | Salem | 25.05 | 25,618 | 3.6% | $305,426 | $66,725 | 2,653 | |
| 18 | Strasburg | 25.55 | 7,214 | 5.5% | $346,089 | $62,464 | 970 | |
| 19 | Abingdon | 25.90 | 8,330 | 3.0% | $281,619 | $54,544 | 1,693 | |
| 20 | Buena Vista | 26.05 | 6,593 | 1.4% | $196,020 | $57,833 | 379 | |
| 21 | Williamsburg | 26.65 | 15,798 | 6.8% | $464,104 | $75,604 | 1,431 | |
| 22 | Dumfries | 27.00 | 5,816 | 3.4% | $596,416 | $82,355 | 1,272 | |
| 23 | Herndon | 27.25 | 24,672 | 4.1% | $740,680 | $148,000 | 2,067 | |
| 24 | Staunton | 27.75 | 25,948 | 5.3% | $308,028 | $65,581 | 1,661 | |
| 25 | Manassas Park | 28.00 | 16,798 | 5.5% | $462,197 | $103,250 | 816 | |
| 26 | Chesapeake | 28.95 | 252,583 | 4.9% | $420,756 | $95,373 | 2,122 | |
| 27 | Culpeper | 29.50 | 20,794 | 2.3% | $451,495 | $94,721 | 1,842 | |
| 28 | Manassas | 30.70 | 42,976 | 3.8% | $557,119 | $113,590 | 2,183 | |
| 29 | Radford | 31.95 | 16,726 | 8.1% | $261,601 | $57,348 | 1,160 | |
| 30 | Colonial Heights | 32.35 | 18,352 | 3.6% | $294,925 | $76,505 | 3,694 | |
| 31 | Lynchburg | 32.45 | 79,497 | 5.3% | $262,101 | $57,947 | 2,117 | |
| 32 | Hampton | 32.95 | 137,557 | 6.3% | $275,341 | $69,621 | 3,142 | |
| 33 | Suffolk | 33.55 | 98,796 | 5.0% | $384,301 | $92,666 | 2,034 | |
| 34 | Waynesboro | 33.80 | 22,841 | 5.1% | $312,910 | $59,994 | 1,826 | |
| 35 | Wytheville | 34.00 | 8,202 | 2.4% | $223,768 | $47,270 | 2,768 | |
| 36 | Fredericksburg | 34.25 | 28,873 | 5.1% | $480,265 | $86,071 | 3,751 | |
| 37 | Orange | 34.70 | 5,066 | 6.7% | $336,894 | $76,370 | 1,875 | |
| 38 | Winchester | 35.25 | 27,913 | 6.4% | $399,457 | $63,974 | 2,547 | |
| 39 | Covington | 35.40 | 5,680 | 2.8% | $158,023 | $41,944 | 1,426 | |
| 40 | Richmond | 35.90 | 229,359 | 5.7% | $369,646 | $64,587 | 3,554 | |
| 41 | Newport News | 36.35 | 184,216 | 5.8% | $290,660 | $69,634 | 3,141 | |
| 42 | Woodstock | 36.60 | 5,871 | 5.6% | $337,785 | $76,100 | 2,027 | |
| 43 | Marion | 37.05 | 5,670 | 4.8% | $157,966 | $40,896 | 2,575 | |
| 44 | Harrisonburg | 37.05 | 51,392 | 6.9% | $348,178 | $62,254 | 1,956 | |
| 45 | Norfolk | 37.15 | 233,596 | 5.7% | $306,227 | $66,109 | 4,185 | |
| 46 | Front Royal | 38.70 | 15,296 | 5.0% | $383,200 | $64,838 | 1,896 | |
| 47 | Big Stone Gap | 39.20 | 5,162 | 7.0% | $140,137 | $54,581 | 1,647 | |
| 48 | Martinsville | 39.55 | 13,658 | 2.9% | $133,032 | $46,727 | 1,552 | |
| 49 | Farmville | 39.75 | 7,774 | 2.9% | $261,292 | $40,966 | 3,936 | |
| 50 | Ashland | 40.35 | 7,772 | 4.9% | $463,340 | $61,164 | 2,741 | |
| 51 | Roanoke | 41.30 | 98,355 | 5.6% | $277,113 | $55,378 | 4,613 | |
| 52 | Franklin | 41.80 | 8,250 | 7.9% | $242,884 | $63,245 | 3,079 | |
| 53 | Portsmouth | 41.90 | 97,190 | 6.6% | $260,462 | $60,491 | 4,612 | |
| 54 | South Boston | 42.30 | 7,853 | 5.2% | $149,172 | $44,052 | 2,942 | |
| 55 | Emporia | 42.70 | 5,547 | 2.9% | $159,794 | $51,899 | 3,876 | |
| 56 | Pulaski | 43.10 | 8,893 | 5.2% | $168,552 | $49,491 | 2,867 | |
| 57 | Bristol | 43.40 | 16,849 | 6.3% | $201,474 | $50,404 | 3,448 | |
| 58 | Hopewell | 43.65 | 22,959 | 9.2% | $232,749 | $54,729 | 2,409 | |
| 59 | Richlands | 44.70 | 5,171 | 5.5% | $106,217 | $37,154 | 1,605 | |
| 60 | Danville | 47.20 | 42,214 | 5.6% | $156,399 | $44,423 | 3,177 | |
| 61 | Petersburg | 47.60 | 33,537 | 10.0% | $245,998 | $50,698 | 3,933 | |
| 62 | Galax | 47.95 | 6,726 | 5.1% | $182,063 | $38,675 | 4,877 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 62 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In Virginia
If you’re looking at areas in Virginia with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Virginia are Vienna, Falls Church, Bridgewater, Lexington, Purcellville, Poquoson, Leesburg, Blacksburg, Virginia Beach, and Warrenton.
Vienna made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Virginia for 2026.
