There are all types when it comes to being a snob in Virginia. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobs — as in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which Virginia cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in Virginia. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 62 of the state’s most populous areas over 5,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of Virginia.
The Virginian in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
$216,953 median income · $1,179,673 median home · #1 income in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax County, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in ZIP codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to the north, and Hunter Mill road to the west.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$143,262 median income · $789,604 median home · #5 income in Virginia
Located in
Falls Church city, Virginia
Falls Church is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,332. The estimated population in 2015 was 13,892. Falls Church is included in the Washington metropolitan area. Falls Church has the lowest level of poverty of any independent city or county in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$165,121 median income · $909,565 median home · #2 income in Virginia
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate. Purcellville is the major population center for western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today, many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$145,205 median income · $865,517 median home · #4 income in Virginia
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town within and the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia. Leesburg is 33 miles west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according to the 2010 Census is 42,616. The town is also the northwestern terminus of the Dulles Greenway, a private toll road that connects to the Dulles Toll Road at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$132,348 median income · $792,535 median home · #6 income in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax city, Virginia
Fairfax, colloquially Central Fairfax, Downtown Fairfax, Fairfax City, or the City of Fairfax, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census the population was 22,565, which had risen to an estimated 24,013 as of 2015.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$148,000 median income · $740,680 median home · #3 income in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax County, Virginia
Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 23,292 at the 2010 census, which makes it the largest of three incorporated towns in the county.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$119,681 median income · $676,205 median home · #8 income in Virginia
Located in
Alexandria city, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,966, and in 2016, the population was estimated to be 155,810. Located along the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 7 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$83,331 median income · $681,948 median home · #18 income in Virginia
Located in
Fauquier County, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2015 was 9,897. Warrenton is the county seat of Fauquier County. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 15, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 29, and U.S. Route 211. The town is in the Piedmont region of Virginia, east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The well-known Airlie Conference Center is 3 miles north of Warrenton, and the historic Vint Hill Farms military facility is 9 miles east. Fauquier Hospital is located in the town. Surrounded by Virginia wine and horse country, Warrenton is a popular destination outside Washington, D.C.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$86,071 median income · $480,265 median home · #16 income in Virginia
Located in
Fredericksburg city, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Eastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,286, up from 19,279 at the 2000 census. The city population was estimated at 28,118 in 2015. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg with neighboring Spotsylvania County for statistical purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$74,824 median income · $515,217 median home · #26 income in Virginia
Located in
Charlottesville city, Virginia
Charlottesville, colloquially known as Cville by locals, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2016, an estimated 46,912 people lived within the city limits. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. This means a Charlottesville resident will list the City of Charlottesville as both their county and city on official paperwork. It is named after the British Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Charlottesville with the County of Albemarle for statistical purposes, bringing its steadily growing population to approximately 150,000. Charlottesville is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area, which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson counties.
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
On the map
Where the snobs live in Virginia
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Old Dominion
Do you think we’d just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in Virginia with populations of 5,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 62 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, it’s not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 62 places in each category with scores from one to 62. We then averaged each place’s ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in Virginia. So let’s all flip a table in honor of Vienna (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, let’s remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
The full plate
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In Virginia For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Snob Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vienna | 1.33 | 16,412 | $216,953 | $1,179,673 | 75.0% |
| 2 | Falls Church | 3.67 | 14,710 | $143,262 | $789,604 | 80.0% |
| 3 | Purcellville | 3.67 | 8,973 | $165,121 | $909,565 | 61.0% |
| 4 | Leesburg | 5.00 | 49,171 | $145,205 | $865,517 | 57.0% |
| 5 | Fairfax | 5.33 | 25,026 | $132,348 | $792,535 | 63.0% |
| 6 | Herndon | 6.00 | 24,672 | $148,000 | $740,680 | 53.0% |
| 7 | Alexandria | 6.67 | 156,976 | $119,681 | $676,205 | 66.0% |
| 8 | Warrenton | 12.50 | 10,176 | $83,331 | $681,948 | 46.0% |
| 9 | Fredericksburg | 13.50 | 28,873 | $86,071 | $480,265 | 46.0% |
| 10 | Charlottesville | 14.00 | 45,437 | $74,824 | $515,217 | 63.0% |
| 11 | Poquoson | 15.50 | 12,639 | $120,972 | $462,480 | 36.0% |
| 12 | Virginia Beach | 16.33 | 456,349 | $92,968 | $427,032 | 41.0% |
| 13 | Manassas | 16.67 | 42,976 | $113,590 | $557,119 | 32.0% |
| 14 | Williamsburg | 17.33 | 15,798 | $75,604 | $464,104 | 45.0% |
| 15 | Lexington | 18.00 | 7,525 | $84,517 | $358,989 | 51.0% |
| 16 | Chesapeake | 18.83 | 252,583 | $95,373 | $420,756 | 36.0% |
| 17 | Smithfield | 18.83 | 8,834 | $113,158 | $393,349 | 36.0% |
| 18 | Bridgewater | 20.83 | 6,708 | $75,280 | $375,081 | 46.0% |
| 19 | Culpeper | 21.00 | 20,794 | $94,721 | $451,495 | 31.0% |
| 20 | Suffolk | 21.83 | 98,796 | $92,666 | $384,301 | 34.0% |
| 21 | Manassas Park | 21.83 | 16,798 | $103,250 | $462,197 | 27.0% |
| 22 | Dumfries | 23.17 | 5,816 | $82,355 | $596,416 | 25.0% |
| 23 | Christiansburg | 24.00 | 22,720 | $77,147 | $304,607 | 45.0% |
| 24 | Richmond | 24.17 | 229,359 | $64,587 | $369,646 | 46.0% |
| 25 | Blacksburg | 24.67 | 45,446 | $50,182 | $420,779 | 69.0% |
| 26 | Ashland | 24.67 | 7,772 | $61,164 | $463,340 | 37.0% |
| 27 | Staunton | 28.33 | 25,948 | $65,581 | $308,028 | 37.0% |
| 28 | Harrisonburg | 29.00 | 51,392 | $62,254 | $348,178 | 37.0% |
| 29 | Winchester | 29.33 | 27,913 | $63,974 | $399,457 | 32.0% |
| 30 | Norfolk | 30.50 | 233,596 | $66,109 | $306,227 | 34.0% |
| 31 | Salem | 31.17 | 25,618 | $66,725 | $305,426 | 33.0% |
| 32 | Colonial Heights | 31.33 | 18,352 | $76,505 | $294,925 | 29.0% |
| 33 | Newport News | 33.17 | 184,216 | $69,634 | $290,660 | 30.0% |
| 34 | Woodstock | 33.67 | 5,871 | $76,100 | $337,785 | 22.0% |
| 35 | Lynchburg | 34.33 | 79,497 | $57,947 | $262,101 | 39.0% |
| 36 | Orange | 34.33 | 5,066 | $76,370 | $336,894 | 21.0% |
| 37 | Hampton | 35.67 | 137,557 | $69,621 | $275,341 | 28.0% |
| 38 | Radford | 35.67 | 16,726 | $57,348 | $261,601 | 38.0% |
| 39 | Front Royal | 36.67 | 15,296 | $64,838 | $383,200 | 19.0% |
| 40 | Abingdon | 37.50 | 8,330 | $54,544 | $281,619 | 36.0% |
| 41 | Waynesboro | 38.17 | 22,841 | $59,994 | $312,910 | 25.0% |
| 42 | Roanoke | 40.17 | 98,355 | $55,378 | $277,113 | 30.0% |
| 43 | Franklin | 40.83 | 8,250 | $63,245 | $242,884 | 27.0% |
| 44 | Strasburg | 40.83 | 7,214 | $62,464 | $346,089 | 17.0% |
| 45 | Vinton | 42.00 | 8,056 | $65,445 | $283,675 | 18.0% |
| 46 | Portsmouth | 43.50 | 97,190 | $60,491 | $260,462 | 24.0% |
| 47 | Farmville | 44.50 | 7,774 | $40,966 | $261,292 | 33.0% |
| 48 | Petersburg | 46.17 | 33,537 | $50,698 | $245,998 | 25.0% |
| 49 | Buena Vista | 47.00 | 6,593 | $57,833 | $196,020 | 23.0% |
| 50 | Bristol | 47.83 | 16,849 | $50,404 | $201,474 | 25.0% |
| 51 | Wytheville | 49.50 | 8,202 | $47,270 | $223,768 | 24.0% |
| 52 | Hopewell | 51.83 | 22,959 | $54,729 | $232,749 | 13.0% |
| 53 | Emporia | 54.00 | 5,547 | $51,899 | $159,794 | 16.0% |
| 54 | Pulaski | 54.50 | 8,893 | $49,491 | $168,552 | 17.0% |
| 55 | Marion | 54.67 | 5,670 | $40,896 | $157,966 | 22.0% |
| 56 | Martinsville | 55.33 | 13,658 | $46,727 | $133,032 | 21.0% |
| 57 | South Boston | 55.33 | 7,853 | $44,052 | $149,172 | 21.0% |
| 58 | Big Stone Gap | 55.33 | 5,162 | $54,581 | $140,137 | 15.0% |
| 59 | Danville | 55.67 | 42,214 | $44,423 | $156,399 | 19.0% |
| 60 | Galax | 55.67 | 6,726 | $38,675 | $182,063 | 19.0% |
| 61 | Covington | 58.67 | 5,680 | $41,944 | $158,023 | 9.0% |
| 62 | Richlands | 61.50 | 5,171 | $37,154 | $106,217 | 13.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, Zillow research. 62 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in Virginia are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in Virginia are Vienna, Falls Church, Purcellville, Leesburg, Fairfax, Herndon, Alexandria, Warrenton, Fredericksburg, and Charlottesville. Not sold on Virginia? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
