Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Richmond, VA
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Richmond
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
227,171
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $77,781 more per year on average
24% less violent crime than Richmond
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Richmond
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Richmond, VA
Pros
Homes cost $525k less ($308,300 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1000/mo less ($1,227 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $77,781/yr
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$77,781
$137,387 vs $59,606/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
24% lower
254.4 vs 336.9 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
2.8% vs 6.1% unemployment
Richmond
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Richmond
Median Home Value
$525k less
$308,300 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Richmond, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $308,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,227 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $59,606 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 14.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 44.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 88.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Richmond City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 47.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 47.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 8.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 227,171 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 43.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% ✓ More | 17.1% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Richmond's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Richmond is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Richmond wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Richmond or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $308,300 median home), income ($137,387 vs $59,606), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Richmond, VA are about 95 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.