Name: Richmond, VA
Rating: 0.0

( 51 Ratings )

Living in Richmond, VA

Ranks better than 84% of areas Follow

Population

229,233

Median Age

34.1 Years

Richmond Area Facts

Richmond has a Livability Score of 84_/100, which is considered exceptional
Richmond crime rates are 97% higher than the Virginia average
Cost of living in Richmond is 1% lower than the Virginia average

What do the locals think about Richmond?

48%

Family friendly

60%

Public transit is accessible

50%

Walkable to grocery stores

33%

Yards are well-kept

60%

Lots of parks

71%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

31%

A quiet area

43%

Sense of community

Based on 42 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Richmond Reviews

Write a review about Richmond Tell people what you like or don't like about Richmond…

Great Art City 4 rating By Anonymous ( Apr 24, 2023) I lived in Richmond for 30 years and miss it all the time.

The crime is not as bad as people pretend it is. There are obviously areas that are worse than others but that applies to every city on the planet.

Richmond has amazing food with a ton of variety for very reasonable pr ...Read More ices. There’s a few great venues that decent bands actually come to.

If you like museums, there’s a lot of fantastic ones to go to. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a lot to offer, and it’s free. Tons of other historical and art museums. There’s a great botanical garden just outside of the city, and the river offers a lot of fun in the summer.

The hiking aspect isn’t great. There are some decent very small parks around the city but if you want to spend all day at the mountains or in the woods, you have to drive 2-3 hours to get to there.

There’s a lot of housing in and around the city at semi affordable prices.

Cary St has great shopping full of small local businesses that can fill the needs of most walks of life.

It’s a really great but small city that doesn’t have the bad traffic of other larger cities. Read Less

A lot of taxes 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Mar 16, 2023) There are an oppressive amount of taxes living in Richmond. There is state tax, local tax, sales tax, tax on real estate property, even a tax on your vehicle. Yes, you have to pay property tax on the value of the vehicle. Also, there are annual vehicle safety inspections. I c ...Read More onsider this a tax because you pay for the sticker, and it gives mechanics an opportunity to lie or break something on the vehicle which is an additional cost. I would rather not own a vehicle in Richmond but had no other choice. I said goodbye to the frustration and taxes of driving in Richmond. And I am retired and currently don't own a vehicle. Walking is good exercise. Read Less

Edit to 'Born and raised in Richmond' 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 18, 2022) Unable to edit my previous review. I want to revisit with a more objective review. I would like to mention the most pertinent features of the City of Richmond. Richmond is an independent city and not part of a county. The inner city is considered historic with the poor moving ...Read More out due to rising taxes and gentrification. This has rehabilitated the inner-city neighborhoods. Business abandoned downtown long ago with VCU now expanding and buying up buildings giving downtown a college town feel. The environment is mostly clean and pleasant, there are jobs, but people tend to be hostile. It is the former capital of the Confederacy. Also, I believe part of the problem is a history of forced busing which created lasting resentment and the recent removal of the LEE monument. Another problem is the city is ringed in housing projects with the dysfunction it brings. These blacks tend to be toxic towards one another. There has been talk about demolishing the housing projects, but this may never happen. These old brick buildings are sturdy and still in good condition, but the people there take on a culture of dependence/poverty. I retired and left Richmond with no plan to return. I have wanderlust and can't tolerate being in one place too long. Before moving out I noticed many Latinos moving in buying up homes. Read Less

Born and raised in Richmond 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 11, 2022) As my title notes, I was born and raised in Richmond. I returned to Richmond 3 times. Once after the military, again after another period in the military, and finally after losing job prospects elsewhere. Each time I returned to Richmond the experience was worse. I agree with ...Read More those reviews that complain about the racism. It was the capitol of the Confederacy. Some feel racism is part of their heritage. People there must be going crazy with the removal of the LEE monument. Part of the problem is a history of force busing which created lasting resentment. The other part of the problem is the city is ringed in housing projects. The blacks are toxic towards one another. Housing projects typically produce this kind of dysfunction. I am retired and currently living in Texas. Considering a move further west to Arizona. I hope to never see again to Richmond. Read Less

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Edit to 'Born and raised in Richmond' 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 18, 2022) Unable to edit my previous review. I want to revisit with a more objective review. I would like to mention the most pertinent features of the City of Richmond. Richmond is an independent city and not part of a county. The inner city is considered historic with the poor moving ...Read More out due to rising taxes and gentrification. This has rehabilitated the inner-city neighborhoods. Business abandoned downtown long ago with VCU now expanding and buying up buildings giving downtown a college town feel. The environment is mostly clean and pleasant, there are jobs, but people tend to be hostile. It is the former capital of the Confederacy. Also, I believe part of the problem is a history of forced busing which created lasting resentment and the recent removal of the LEE monument. Another problem is the city is ringed in housing projects with the dysfunction it brings. These blacks tend to be toxic towards one another. There has been talk about demolishing the housing projects, but this may never happen. These old brick buildings are sturdy and still in good condition, but the people there take on a culture of dependence/poverty. I retired and left Richmond with no plan to return. I have wanderlust and can't tolerate being in one place too long. Before moving out I noticed many Latinos moving in buying up homes. Read Less

Born and raised in Richmond 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 11, 2022) As my title notes, I was born and raised in Richmond. I returned to Richmond 3 times. Once after the military, again after another period in the military, and finally after losing job prospects elsewhere. Each time I returned to Richmond the experience was worse. I agree with ...Read More those reviews that complain about the racism. It was the capitol of the Confederacy. Some feel racism is part of their heritage. People there must be going crazy with the removal of the LEE monument. Part of the problem is a history of force busing which created lasting resentment. The other part of the problem is the city is ringed in housing projects. The blacks are toxic towards one another. Housing projects typically produce this kind of dysfunction. I am retired and currently living in Texas. Considering a move further west to Arizona. I hope to never see again to Richmond. Read Less

This is a racist place 1 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 29, 2018) I moved here from Alabama (known for racism). When I came to Richmond, I expected this place to be less racist and more tolerant but I have had many racist experiences here from white people. In fact, I would say the racism is just about the same as Alabama. Furthermore, I find m ...Read More yself very bored in this city. I always find myself traveling to other cities such as D.C. I can't wait to leave this place and finally find a place that is not filled with racist people. Read Less

Lots to Offer 5 rating By angie550 ( Apr 28, 2018) Richmond's main attraction is the quality of life available. I live outside of the city on acreage, but can be anywhere in a half hour drive. We have many of the benefits of a big city with less of the hassles. LOTS of things to do on weekends....activities on the James River,M ...Read More onument 10K, Shamrock the Block, Folk Festival, food trucks at Hardywood Brewery, summer concerts at Innsbruck. Plus we are a short drive from beach, mountains, or DC. Easy train ride to DC or NYC. The restaurant scene in the city is outstanding. And not just high end places...lots of delicious offerings for all budgets. Plenty of variety and creativity in the dining here. Affordable housing both in city limits and outside. New places right in the city popping up every day. Warehouses turning into very cool loft apartments. All the shopping you could need.One of my favorite parts of Richmond is the diversity. It's a great town for millennials and families. Fantastic churches where we all come together. Come visit Hill City Church.....not just old white people. Mainly young people of all different races. Love it.That being said, anyone who lives in Richmond should read "Richmond's Unhealed History." This is the former capitol of the Confederacy and the racial wounds are deep. The economic disparity lives on. Poverty in Richmond is real and small pockets of Richmond contain some of the mostly deeply impoverished people in the U.S. Of course, this isn't unique to our city. Finally, traffic around Richmond on I-95 is a bear during the summer. I-95 connects the entire East Coast so woe to you if you have drive on it on a Sunday afternoon. My family strategically avoids it as much as possible. And Richmond is 100 percent a driving culture. It would be difficult to live here without a car. Read Less

Where dreams go to die 1 rating By XvoltaireX ( Feb 27, 2018) Moving from DC to Richmond was the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life. If you are looking for a great environment, greater job opportunities, and a high education, you won't find it here. This city is where people's hopes, dreams, and life aspirations go to die. Anyo ...Read More ne who says otherwise is lying straight to your face, and is more than likely a long time resident, as the half-wit people of Richmond like to pretend the city isn't a rotting cesspool. If you are thinking about moving here, don't. For the love of everything in this universe, don't. If you are currently living in Richmond, get out while you still can. This place is a dead end city. Read Less

Stay away from downtown 1 rating By Civil War buff ( Jul 21, 2017) I just had the most frustrating experience of all of my travels to experience the Civil War history. The only reason is the City of Richmond. STAY OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN - DON'T STAY IN THE CITY. The amenities are over rated and expensive. The hotels (Berkeley) are presented as his ...Read More toric. They are just OLD and you will feel it. Parking is non existent. The parking police lurk behind trees waiting for you to step away a moment. Areas around the museum aren't safe.STAY IN THE BURBS AND DRIVE IN. KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE, YOUR EXPERIENCE POSITIVE. STAY AWAY. Read Less

Richmond, VA: Rich in Nature and Fun 4 rating By Anonymous ( Dec 19, 2011) Richmond, VA is a fun and exciting city to live in, with lots of historical sites nearby. I love this city because of its subtropical weather, it has hot summers and short, milder winters making the city quite sunny and warm all year round. Since my family moved to Richmond from ...Read More New York, we were glad to be waking up to warm, sunny mornings instead of cold grey ones on most days. Richmond is definitely much cheaper than New York as far as social spending is concerned and offers all kinds of cuisines, including delicious and affordable Greek and Chinese restaurants, plus lots of entertainment and natural space.

Shopping in Richmond offers lots of variety, there are several branded stores here including a huge apple store and branded wear including Louis Vuitton and Coach. Richmond has lots of smaller shopping strips and 6 huge malls, Chesterfield Towne Center, Regency Square, Stony Point Fashion Park, Short Pump Town Center, Virginia Center Commons, and Southpark Mall. I find the shopping here pretty decent although the malls are not as glamorous or provide as much variety as malls in New York.

There are many things to do over the weekend and the great thing about Richmond is that entertainment is quite affordable and there are always coupons and discounts that can be availed at the Virginia Museum of Arts and the Maymont Center. Richmond is also very green and walking to the nearest stores and centers in the residential areas is quite safe and fun and the communities are quite close knit and have local churches, schools and clubs. There are several parks and trails that make the city a great place to live for families. For those who enjoy night life, Richmond has quite a few restaurants and coffee shops open around the clock. There are quite a few night clubs and live music restaurants including a must try on Walnut Aly called Alley Katz. Read Less

Richmond, Virginia - A Great Place to Live 4 rating By Anonymous ( May 05, 2010) The city of Richmond is not only the capital of the state of Virginia, it is also one of the most historic cities in all of America. But is has also been called the perfect blend of old and new by the residents who love living there. Currently, Richmond has become a large cosmopo ...Read More litan center. The city of Richmond offers so many opportunities to see great attractions in entertainment and other areas. One option for visitors is to take a relaxing cruise along the scenic James River. The "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech of Patrick Henry is always a huge draw for history buffs. Richmond has some buildings with rich history like the Berkeley Plantation, which was actually the home of signer of the Declaration of Independence and Virginia Governor, Benjamin Harrison, and his son President William Henry Harrison. Also, Maymont is the only Victorian estate in the country that is still fully intact.

Richmond is a large, bustling city that, unlike most other American cities, also has a rich history, great attractions and restaurants that adds to living in or visiting the city. Read Less

Compare Richmond, VA Livability

Richmond, VA

Richmond, Virginia, is the state's capital city, and it has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years thanks to a smart urban revitalization plan led by the local government. The resurgence of the central business district has seen an influx of exciting restaurants, locally owned shops, and great nightlife spots that are bringing people back to the city in droves. With a population of over 200,000, the city is home to two major universities. Both the Richmond Spiders and Virginia Commonwealth Rams have large campuses in the heart of the city. Richmond enjoys a reputation as one of the best academic institutions in the state.

Mayomont is perhaps the most well-known residence in the Richmond area, and the home's historic character has been carefully preserved to give today's visitors a true feel for what life was like in Richmond during tobacco's leading days. You can tour the grounds and gardens on your own or take a guided tour of the entire estate to gain a greater appreciate for this landmark. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts showcases a great display of works from some of this era's most popular and influential artists. It is an attraction that can easily take up a full afternoon for those who appreciate modern art. Touring the Virginia State Capitol Building is another attraction that should be high on the list for anyone who is relocating to the area in search of a home to buy or rent.

The Fan District, Oregon Hill, and Ginter Park are some of the nicer areas in the city for those who are in the market. Crime is a problem in certain parts of Richmond, so you will want to make sure that you work with a realtor who knows the area if this is a concern for you. The cost of homes in Richmond is much lower than what you will find in the northern half of the state. This lets homeowners find a number of beautiful Victorian homes in their budget.

Traffic in Richmond can be heavy at times, but it is still relatively light in comparison to what you will find as your travel north up Interstate 95. The Greater Richmond Transit Company offers public transit service to those who choose to ditch their car for a more environmentally friendly commute. Richmond also has a large number of paths for cyclists. In fact, the city has even hosted a World Cycling Championship Event in the recent past.

Capital One Financial, the VCU Health System, and the public school district are some of the largest employers in the city. State government naturally has a large number of jobs as well given that Richmond is the capital city.