Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety33#620/924
Economy95#43/925
Housing26#688/925
Health76#220/925
Healthcare88#114/923
Environment63#344/917
Education87#124/925
Infrastructure78#200/925
Community63#340/925
Leisure & amenities68#301/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Richmond, VA metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

New business applications · high19.7 /1k
93/100Virginia 15.6 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · high$1,407
92/100Virginia $1,540United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bachelor's degree or higher · high41.1%
91/100Virginia 42.2%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Distance to an airport · low15 mi
91/100Virginia 32 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Dentists · high88 /100k
90/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Median household income · high$86,679
90/100Virginia $92,116United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013

Weaknesses

Homicide rate · high7.9 /100k
14/100Virginia 4.3 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Average commute time · high25.4 min
22/100Virginia 27.3 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Property crime rate · high1,638 /100k
23/100Virginia 1,354 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Home price to income ratio · high4.1×
25/100Virginia 4.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Public libraries · low0.4 /10k
26/100Virginia 0.4 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Rent-burdened households · high51.2%
27/100Virginia 48.5%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,316,683 (2020) → 1,389,338 (2025)
+5.5%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Drought exposureWorsening
3% (2021) → 43% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+40 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
48.0 /100k (2021) → 16.0 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−67%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
23.6% (Dec 2021) → 35.4% (Aug 2026)
+12 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
Mental health providersImproving
252 /100k (2021) → 354 /100k (2025)
+40%4 yearsUS 282 /100k → 348 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
83.2% (2015-2019) → 91.0% (2020-2024)
+7.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Richmond, VA metro area improved on 17 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 4 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved17

Uninsured−1.9 points9.6% → 7.7%
Overdose deaths−57%36.8 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Suicides−12%14.9 /100k → 13.2 /100k
Firearm deaths−16%18.9 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Bachelor's++3.7 points37.4% → 41.1%

Declined5

Violent crime+5.2%224 /100k → 236 /100k
Traffic deaths+23%10.6 /100k → 13.1 /100k
Transit use−0.6 points1.6% → 1.0%
Price / income+0.6×3.5× → 4.1×
Pharmacies−8.1%2.0 /10k → 1.8 /10k

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Richmond, VA metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	4.1 /10k2020	4.6 /10k2025	+14%	Improved	64%
Average commute time	25.3 min2015-2019	25.4 min2020-2024	+0.2 min	Within the margin of error	59%
Bachelor's degree or higher	37.4%2015-2019	41.1%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Improved	72%
Broadband subscriptions	83.2%2015-2019	91.0%2020-2024	+7.8 points	Improved	35%
Child poverty rate	15.8%2015-2019	13.2%2020-2024	−2.5 points	Improved	52%
Distance to an airport	15 mi2020	15 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	12%
Drug overdose deaths	36.8 /100k2020	16.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−57%	Improved	88%
Effective property tax rate	0.80%2015-2019	0.72%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	35%
Firearm deaths	18.9 /100k2020	16.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−16%	Improved	76%
Grocery stores	1.4 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+1.3%	Little change	56%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.5 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	+11%	Improved	60%
High school diploma or higher	89.9%2015-2019	92.2%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Improved	66%
Home price to income ratio	3.5×2015-2019	4.1×2020-2024	+0.6×	Declined	32%
Homicide rate	10.3 /100k2020	7.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−23%	Improved	48%
Income adjusted for local prices	$60,6772019	$76,5622024	+26%	Improved	12%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4602015-2019	0.4612020-2024	+0.001	Within the margin of error	50%
Median household income	$68,5292015-2019	$86,6792020-2024	+26%	Improved	48%
New business applications	15.1 /1k2020	19.7 /1k2025	+31%	Improved	28%
Pharmacies	2.0 /10k2020	1.8 /10k2025	−8.1%	Declined	51%
Poverty rate	11.2%2015-2019	10.0%2020-2024	−1.2 points	Improved	58%
Property crime rate	1,802 /100k2020	1,638 /100k2025	−9.1%	Improved	12%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	−4.2%	Little change	28%
Public transit commuters	1.6%2015-2019	1.0%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Declined	32%
Rent as share of income	30.0%2015-2019	30.6%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	46%
Rent-burdened households	50.0%2015-2019	51.2%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	47%
Restaurants and bars	8.0 /10k2020	8.1 /10k2025	+2%	Little change	54%
Suicide rate	14.9 /100k2020	13.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−12%	Improved	79%
Traffic deaths	10.6 /100k2015-2019	13.1 /100k2020-2024	+23%	Declined	24%
Unemployment rate	6.8%2020	3.4%2025	−3.4 points	Improved	61%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.6%2015-2019	7.7%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Improved	83%
Violent crime rate	224 /100k2020	236 /100k2025	+5.2%	Declined	21%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Richmond, VA metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Richmond, VA metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Richmond, VA metro area itself moved +2 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,341,248 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

533,430 households (±1,666)

Richmond, VA metro area
United States share

Under $25k12%65,795
$25k–50k15%82,386
$50k–75k16%85,992

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

533,430 households (±1,666)

Richmond, VA metro area
United States share

Own67%357,348
Rent33%176,082

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+1.4 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

679,206 workers (±3,084)

Richmond, VA metro area
United States share

Drive alone70%472,392
Carpool7.2%48,914
Public transit1.0%6,856

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Richmond, VA employ 136,720 people. 2 pay a median above the US median and 8 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Richmond, VA by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Fast Food and Counter Workers17,100 jobs	17,100	$29,500US $31,200	−5%	1.04×
Retail Salespersons16,210 jobs	16,210	$33,580US $35,410	−5%	0.98×
General and Operations Managers15,770 jobs	15,770	$108,670US $105,770	+3%	1.06×
Registered Nurses15,700 jobs	15,700	$93,580US $97,550	−4%	1.09×
Cashiers14,460 jobs	14,460	$30,350US $32,880	−8%	1.1×
Stockers and Order Fillers12,300 jobs	12,300	$37,180US $37,330	0%	1.02×
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers11,760 jobs	11,760	$58,190US $58,640	−1%	1.34×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides11,570 jobs	11,570	$29,360US $35,800	−18%	0.63×
Customer Service Representatives10,960 jobs	10,960	$42,660US $44,770	−5%	0.99×
Office Clerks, General10,890 jobs	10,890	$46,320US $45,010	+3%	1.04×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Richmond, VA.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Richmond, VA has 33,589 employer establishments, 248 for every 10,000 residents (1.00× the US rate of 248), with 575,588 paid employees at an average annual pay of $67,600. The Census Bureau also counts 118,151 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 33,589; 118,151 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 248; US 248
Paid employees: 575,588
Average annual pay: $67,600; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Richmond, VA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	2,622	19.4	0.93×About typical	35,586	$81,865	5,080
Restaurants and other eating places	2,348	17.3	0.94×About typical	45,480	$23,331	587
Specialty trade contractors	2,339	17.3	1.12×About typical	27,833	$68,938	6,868
Lessors of real estate	1,672	12.3	1.00×About typical	8,353	$79,586	12,035
Full-service restaurants	1,103	8.1	1.06×About typical	22,656	$26,098	242
Construction of buildings	1,099	8.1	1.07×About typical	6,964	$82,129	3,392
Limited-service restaurants	1,044	7.7	0.96×About typical	20,056	$20,709	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	1,027	7.6	1.12×About typical	10,108	$40,466	6,674
Religious organizations	976	7.2	1.30×More than typical	10,452	$32,743	—
Management, scientific and technical consulting	928	6.8	1.02×About typical	5,596	$93,128	4,838
Building equipment contractors	873	6.4	1.07×About typical	15,030	$73,326	1,338
Offices of physicians	788	5.8	0.90×About typical	14,327	$123,051	972

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 1,354,817 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $894.6M on contracts performed in Richmond, VA metro area: $644 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $894.6M; −16% vs FY2025
Per resident: $644; US $1,994
Sole-source: 37%; US 30%
Single offer: 14%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response$206.5M23%
Defense Logistics Agency$179.1M20%
Department of the Army$153.2M17%
Defense Information Systems Agency$66.5M7.4%
Department of Veterans Affairs$60.2M6.7%
Federal Bureau of Investigation$53M5.9%
Health Resources and Services Administration$42.9M4.8%
Federal Acquisition Service$23.1M2.6%

Top recipients

OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION INC$131.2M15%
PHLOW CORP.$105.3M12%
KALEO, INC.$99.8M11%
VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY$57.5M6.4%
UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING$42.9M4.8%

Spending by fiscal year

990.6MFY2017
1.1BFY2018
996.6MFY2019
1.5BFY2020
1.2BFY2021
1BFY2022
1BFY2023
995M

Top industries (NAICS)

Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers · 4234$140.2M16%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$121.6M14%
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing · 3254$105.6M12%
Computer systems design and related services · 5415$93.5M10%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$58.9M6.6%

Largest awards

US BASED ADVANCED API MANUFACTURING. BASE PERIOD FUNDING FOR US BASED ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OF COVID-19 ESSENTIAL MEDICINES AND FUTURE THREATS.$696.7M
PHLOW CORP.· Richmond city, VA· Research & development· May 18, 2020 – Sep 29, 2026· 75A50120C00092
UTILITY ENERGY SERVICE CONTRACT (UESC) FOR FBI QUANTICO$100.3M
VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY· Richmond city, VA· Facilities & utilities· Sep 30, 2025 – Sep 23, 2026· 15F06725F0001827
TO FOR FSC SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT$98.7M
FAVOR TECHCONSULTING, LLC· Richmond city, VA· IT & telecom· Dec 20, 2019 – Jan 15, 2026· 36C10B20N10060036
THIS ACQUISITION WILL ALLOW BARDA TO INVEST PROJECT BIOSHIELD FUNDS FOR LATE-STAGE CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT, REGULATORY APPROVAL FOR 2-PAM AUTOINJECTORS (AS A DRUG/DEVICE COMBINATION PRODUCT) TO TREAT ORGANOPHOSPHATE (OP) POISONING, INCLUDING NERVE AGENT

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $9B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Richmond, VA metro area: $6,459 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $9B; −2.3% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,459; US $12,955
Loan face value: $941.5M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$5.4B60%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$977.4M11%

Counties in Richmond, VA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

RichmondPrincipal city229,359

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Virginia

Areas based in Virginia, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M40060

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved17

Declined5

Metro and micro areas like Richmond, VA metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Richmond, VA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Virginia

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved17

Declined5

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates