City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Richmond, VA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Richmond - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

227,595
Residents
$62,671
Median income
$328,100
Median home
$1,655
Median rent (state)

Richmond - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Richmond lands in the 39th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
65th
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Richmond, VA

227,595 people live in Richmond, Virginia - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $62,671 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.0%. Richmond's housing stock carries a median value of $328,100, and the median resident age is 34.5 years. About 44.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2,540 residential building permits were authorized in Richmond (Building Boom), up 105% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Richmond's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3516.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 59.0°F with 45.5 inches of precipitation per year and 8.8 inches of snowfall.

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Virginia scores 101.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,655 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

227,595 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$62,671 /yr

Poverty 12.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Richmond compare to other US cities?

Where Richmond sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 65% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Virginia alone, Richmond ranks #103 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Richmond's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

39thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Richmond's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Richmond's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 27 Avg. percentile National median
Richmond's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Richmond's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$328,100 31st percentile more affordable than 31% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Richmond $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Richmond, VA Richmond, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Richmond, VA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Richmond, VA median $62,671/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Richmond, VA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Richmond, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
227,595
Median Income
$62,671
Median Home Value
$328,100
Median Age
34.5
Poverty Rate
12.0%
Labor force participation
64.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3516.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
336.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3179.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.0°F
Annual Precipitation
45.5"
Annual Snowfall
8.8"

Schools

Total Schools
95
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
225,000 residents230,000 residents235,000 residents240,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 226,927 residents 237,257 residents ▲ +4.6%
Richmond's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
2,540
housing units authorized
Single-Family
380
detached homes
Multifamily
2,160
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,240
2020 1,023
2021 1,067
2022 2,649
2023 2,283
2024 2,540

Permit volume increased 105% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
64.9%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
3.6%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
16.9%
Other
2.6%

Based on 120,806 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Richmond sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,655/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Norfolk
235,037 people
Arlington
235,463 people
Chesapeake
251,153 people
Newport News
184,774 people
Alexandria
156,788 people
Hampton
137,334 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Richmond's 227,595 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fremont, CA
228,518 people
Santa Clarita, CA
229,021 people
Spokane, WA
229,228 people
Baton Rouge, LA
223,699 people
Enterprise, NV
232,043 people
Hialeah, FL
221,901 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Richmond's $62,671 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Blue Hills, CT
$62,672 median income
Junction, CA
$62,669 median income
Applegate, MI
$62,667 median income
Atlanta, TX
$62,675 median income
Tingley, IA
$62,679 median income
Deerwood, MN
$62,679 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Richmond, VA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Richmond, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 43.2% 42.0% 7.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.3% White 43.2% Black or African American 42.0% Asian 2.1% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 5.3% Two or more races 7.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Richmond compares to nearby Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Richmond (this city) 227,595 $62,671
Norfolk 235,037 $64,017
Arlington 235,463 $140,160
Chesapeake 251,153 $94,189
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Richmond, VA?

What is the population of Richmond, VA? +

The population of Richmond, VA stands at 227,595 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Richmond, VA? +

Median annual household income in Richmond runs $62,671, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Richmond? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Richmond; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Richmond, VA safe? +

Richmond has a total crime rate of 3516.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Richmond, VA? +

The median home value in Richmond is $328,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Richmond? +

The average annual temperature in Richmond runs 59.0°F, 45.5 inches of precipitation, and 8.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.