Median Income
$72,216
household / year
Median Home Value
$221,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,123
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Colonial Heights, VA a Good Place to Live?

Colonial Heights is a small city of 18,158 in Virginia, with a median household income of $72,216 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Colonial Heights stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Colonial Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Colonial Heights city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 98.0

Colonial Heights's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Colonial Heights costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Colonial Heights, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $221,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,123 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 66.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $72,216 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Colonial Heights's violent crime rate is 462.2 per 100,000 residents — 22% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
462.2 /100k
Property Crime
3181.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Colonial Heights is served primarily by Colonial Heights City Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Colonial Heights, VA National Avg
School District Colonial Heights City Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 91.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Colonial Heights sees average highs of 49.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 47.0 inches of annual precipitation and 3.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricColonial Heights, VA
Average High — January49.1°F
Average High — July89.3°F
Annual Precipitation47.0"
Annual Snowfall3.5"

Demographics

MetricColonial Heights, VANational Avg
Population18,158—
Median Age38.438.9
Unemployment Rate6.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)72.0%59.3%
Black or African American17.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.5%18.9%
Asian3.6%6.3%
Under 1823.4%22.2%
65 and over18.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Ettrick, VA 2 mi Petersburg, VA 4 mi Fort Lee, VA 4 mi Matoaca, VA 4 mi Hopewell, VA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Colonial Heights

Colonial Heights, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

23834

Colonial Heights vs Other Cities

Colonial Heights, VA vs Ettrick, VA Colonial Heights, VA vs Petersburg, VA Colonial Heights, VA vs Fort Lee, VA Colonial Heights, VA vs Matoaca, VA Colonial Heights, VA vs Hopewell, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Colonial Heights's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Colonial Heights roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $221,400 and median rent is $1,123/month.
Colonial Heights's violent crime rate is 462.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3181.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Colonial Heights are operated by Colonial Heights City Public Schools. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.4:1. 28.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Colonial Heights, VA has a population of 18,158, a median household income of $72,216, and an unemployment rate of 6.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Colonial Heights averages 49.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.0 inches with about 3.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Colonial Heights, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 23834.
The population of Colonial Heights, Virginia is 18,158 with a median age of 38.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Colonial Heights: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $221,400, median household income $72,216, crime index 134 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Colonial Heights side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.