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State place rankings

Best Places in Virginia

Compare places by General Quality score or population. Each place links to its sourced facts, scores, and local summary.

All states

General Quality score

Best overall places

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  1. Falls Church, VA

    City

    General Quality
    Population
    15,159
    Median home value
    $1,055,600
    Town page

  2. McLean, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    49,627
    Median home value
    $1,412,700
    Town page

  3. Arlington, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    236,254
    Median home value
    $895,000
    Town page

  4. Alexandria, VA

    City

    General Quality
    Population
    160,662
    Median home value
    $735,100
    Town page

  5. Vienna, VA

    Town

    General Quality
    Population
    16,691
    Median home value
    $1,008,800
    Town page

  6. Tysons, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    28,936
    Median home value
    $640,000
    Town page

  7. Salem, VA

    City

    General Quality
    Population
    25,816
    Median home value
    $258,600
    Town page

  8. Oakton, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    36,528
    Median home value
    $792,100
    Town page

  9. Dunn Loring, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    8,957
    Median home value
    $951,400
    Town page

  10. Braddock, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    6,536
    Median home value
    $941,600
    Town page

  11. Difficult Run, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    9,938
    Median home value
    $1,111,400
    Town page

  12. Merrifield, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    20,698
    Median home value
    $660,800
    Town page

  13. Wolf Trap, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    15,858
    Median home value
    $1,204,000
    Town page

  14. Leesburg, VA

    Town

    General Quality
    Population
    49,917
    Median home value
    $667,800
    Town page

  15. Wakefield, VA (CDP)

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    11,930
    Median home value
    $861,600
    Town page

  16. Franconia, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    18,335
    Median home value
    $567,100
    Town page

  17. Virginia Beach, VA

    City

    General Quality
    Population
    453,737
    Median home value
    $382,500
    Town page

  18. Fort Hunt, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    16,700
    Median home value
    $927,400
    Town page

  19. Reston, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    64,414
    Median home value
    $642,000
    Town page

  20. Fairfax, VA

    City

    General Quality
    Population
    26,772
    Median home value
    $722,600
    Town page

  21. Short Pump, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    29,026
    Median home value
    $568,900
    Town page

  22. West Springfield, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    22,532
    Median home value
    $637,300
    Town page

  23. Belle Haven, VA (CDP)

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    6,570
    Median home value
    $689,400
    Town page

  24. Broadlands, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    14,353
    Median home value
    $896,900
    Town page

  25. Franklin Farm, VA

    Census-designated place

    General Quality
    Population
    18,736
    Median home value
    $829,600
    Town page

How this list is ranked

Places are ordered by General Quality score. General Quality is a balanced livability composite spanning safety, affordability, healthcare, climate, education, jobs, mobility, outdoors, taxes, and other core factors.

General Quality methodology

Largest to smallest

Population-ranked places

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  1. Virginia Beach, VA

    City

    Population
    453,737
    Median home value
    $382,500
    Median rent
    $1,714
    Town page

  2. Chesapeake, VA

    City

    Population
    255,332
    Median home value
    $378,400
    Median rent
    $1,586
    Town page

  3. Richmond, VA

    City

    Population
    237,257
    Median home value
    $353,000
    Median rent
    $1,372
    Town page

  4. Arlington, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    236,254
    Median home value
    $895,000
    Median rent
    $2,322
    Town page

  5. Norfolk, VA

    City

    Population
    231,013
    Median home value
    $289,900
    Median rent
    $1,321
    Town page

  6. Newport News, VA

    City

    Population
    183,230
    Median home value
    $260,600
    Median rent
    $1,339
    Town page

  7. Alexandria, VA

    City

    Population
    160,662
    Median home value
    $735,100
    Median rent
    $2,089
    Town page

  8. Hampton, VA

    City

    Population
    137,315
    Median home value
    $245,700
    Median rent
    $1,427
    Town page

  9. Suffolk, VA

    City

    Population
    104,699
    Median home value
    $347,400
    Median rent
    $1,563
    Town page

  10. Roanoke, VA

    City

    Population
    99,111
    Median home value
    $190,500
    Median rent
    $996
    Town page

  11. Portsmouth, VA

    City

    Population
    96,777
    Median home value
    $246,900
    Median rent
    $1,300
    Town page

  12. Lynchburg, VA

    City

    Population
    81,347
    Median home value
    $229,800
    Median rent
    $1,073
    Town page

  13. Centreville, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    71,706
    Median home value
    $590,500
    Median rent
    $2,299
    Town page

  14. Dale City, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    71,016
    Median home value
    $425,500
    Median rent
    $1,876
    Town page

  15. Reston, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    64,414
    Median home value
    $642,000
    Median rent
    $2,231
    Town page

  16. Harrisonburg, VA

    City

    Population
    50,839
    Median home value
    $299,100
    Median rent
    $1,184
    Town page

  17. Leesburg, VA

    Town

    Population
    49,917
    Median home value
    $667,800
    Median rent
    $2,105
    Town page

  18. McLean, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    49,627
    Median home value
    $1,412,700
    Median rent
    $3,422
    Town page

  19. Tuckahoe, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    49,183
    Median home value
    $462,800
    Median rent
    $1,536
    Town page

  20. Lake Ridge, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    46,049
    Median home value
    $471,200
    Median rent
    $2,033
    Town page

  21. Ashburn, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    46,026
    Median home value
    $699,300
    Median rent
    $2,455
    Town page

  22. Blacksburg, VA

    Town

    Population
    45,104
    Median home value
    $446,300
    Median rent
    $1,359
    Town page

  23. Charlottesville, VA

    City

    Population
    44,388
    Median home value
    $486,700
    Median rent
    $1,540
    Town page

  24. Manassas, VA

    City

    Population
    44,332
    Median home value
    $449,900
    Median rent
    $1,850
    Town page

  25. Burke, VA

    Census-designated place

    Population
    44,029
    Median home value
    $747,700
    Median rent
    $2,894
    Town page

How this list is ranked

Places are ordered by their latest available population estimate. Incorporated places and census-designated places are both eligible when they appear in the published location data.

U.S. Census Population Estimates Program
Annual Census population estimates are used where available; ACS place estimates fill coverage gaps.