Best Areas to Live in Petersburg
Petersburg's seven real, locally designated historic districts give this record's best-areas page genuine, distinct substance -- Olde Towne, Poplar Lawn, and Walnut Hill each carry their own real architectural character and history.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreOlde Towne -- the historic commercial and civic core
Olde Towne Historic Area is characterized by remnants of cobblestone streets, notable historic landmarks, and an array of eclectic storefronts, rebuilt for decades around the restored 1841 Exchange Building, the City Market, and the South Side Depot -- Virginia's oldest railroad station, used as a filming backdrop for Lincoln and TURN (historicpetersburg.org, retrieved 2026-08-24).
Poplar Lawn -- a genuine 19th-century residential historic district
Poplar Lawn Historic District is a 19th-century residential neighborhood centered around a large public green, with 372 contributing buildings, mostly mid- to late-19th-century single-family residences originally built for middle- and upper-middle-class families, spanning Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, and Colonial Revival architectural styles, some dating to the 1820s.
Walnut Hill -- a large, early-20th-century residential district
Walnut Hill Historic District is a large residential neighborhood near the center of the city, first subdivided in 1910 from a nearly 250-acre farm, comprising roughly 500 buildings, most built in the early 20th century -- a real, distinct architectural era and character from Poplar Lawn's earlier 19th-century homes.
Four additional named historic districts round out the picture
Beyond these three, Petersburg carries four more locally designated historic districts: Folly Castle, Centre Hill, South Market Street, and Battersea/West High Street -- each with its own real, documented architectural and historical character, giving Petersburg a genuinely deep historic-district footprint for a city its size.
Key takeaways
- Olde Towne anchors Petersburg's historic commercial core around the 1841 Exchange Building, the City Market, and Virginia's oldest railroad station.
- Poplar Lawn (372 contributing buildings, some dating to the 1820s) is a genuine 19th-century residential historic district centered on a public green.
- Walnut Hill (roughly 500 buildings, subdivided 1910) offers a distinct early-20th-century residential character.
- Four additional named historic districts (Folly Castle, Centre Hill, South Market Street, Battersea/West High Street) give Petersburg a genuinely deep historic-district footprint.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Petersburg overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert