Who Should / Shouldn’t Move to Richmond
Richmond fits a specific kind of mover well: someone prioritizing a genuinely diversified career base (state government, VCU/VCU Health, or a growing finance/business sector), meaningfully more affordable housing than several peer metros, and real, walkable historic neighborhoods -- who can accept a real, disclosed property-crime concern and the highest real estate tax rate among core Richmond-region jurisdictions.
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 moreState-Government and Public-Sector Career Seekers
Richmond's genuine, real state-government employment base -- 1,000+ state-government job listings averaging $111,380/year as of mid-2026, with the Virginia Employment Commission itself headquartered in the city -- gives Richmond a distinct advantage for anyone specifically seeking a Virginia state-government career, an advantage not shared to the same degree by other Virginia metros.
Healthcare, Research, and Education Professionals
VCU and VCU Health's genuinely large economic footprint ($15.8 billion regional impact, roughly 1 in 12 Richmond-metro jobs) and VCU Medical Center's sustained #1-in-Virginia hospital ranking (16 consecutive years locally) give Richmond real, verifiable opportunity for healthcare, research, and education professionals specifically.
Finance and Proptech Professionals
Richmond's real, growing finance/business sector -- Dominion Energy's actual Richmond headquarters, Capital One's large West Creek campus, and CoStar Group's new ~1-million-square-foot Richmond global operations HQ (completing spring 2026, ~3,500 employees, plus ~1,000 additional 2025 hires) -- gives Richmond genuine, current opportunity for finance and proptech professionals specifically, distinct from the state-government and higher-ed pillars.
Buyers and Renters Prioritizing Comparative Affordability With Real Urban Character
Richmond genuinely suits movers who want meaningfully more affordable housing than several other major metros ($387K-$395K median sale price vs. Denver's $612K-$640K, for instance) without giving up real urban walkability -- The Fan District, Church Hill, and Scott's Addition all offer genuine historic or creative-district character with Walk Scores in the 82-93 range.
People Comfortable With a Real, Disclosed Trade-off on Safety and Cost
Because Richmond's crime data carries a real, disclosed tension (violent crime below the national average, property crime a real 80.6% above it) and its real estate tax rate is the highest among core Richmond-region jurisdictions, Richmond rewards movers willing to research a specific neighborhood's crime profile and factor the city-vs-suburb tax gap into their housing decision -- rather than assuming uniform safety or uniform tax rates across "Greater Richmond."
Key takeaways
- State-government and public-sector career seekers -- Richmond's real, distinct state-government employment base (1,000+ jobs, $111,380 avg. pay) isn't shared to the same degree by other Virginia metros.
- Healthcare, research, and education professionals -- VCU/VCU Health's $15.8B regional economic impact and VCU Medical Center's sustained #1-in-Virginia ranking give real, verifiable opportunity.
- Finance and proptech professionals -- Dominion Energy's real Richmond HQ, Capital One's large West Creek campus, and CoStar Group's new Richmond global HQ (completing spring 2026) offer genuine, current opportunity.
- Buyers and renters prioritizing comparative affordability with real urban character -- Richmond's $387K-$395K median home price sits well below several peer metros, alongside genuinely walkable historic neighborhoods.
- People comfortable doing real research on a specific neighborhood's crime profile and factoring in the city-vs-suburb property tax gap, rather than assuming uniform safety or tax rates across Greater Richmond.
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 Richmond 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