State rankings

Best Counties to Live in Virginia

Compare counties in Virginia by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.

#1 in VA

Botetourt County

78.3

Overall score

Open county report

#2 in VA

Hanover County

77.8

Overall score

Open county report

#3 in VA

Poquoson city

Overall score

Open county report

#4 in VA

York County

76.6

Overall score

Open county report

#5 in VA

King William County

76.1

Overall score

Open county report

Category highlights

Quick entry points for common county search priorities.

National rankings

Best overall

Botetourt County

Overall score 78.3

Most affordable

Buchanan County

Affordability 92.4

Best schools

Falls Church city

Schools 100

Safest

Highland County

Safety 96

Lowest taxes

Amelia County

Taxes 88.5

Best peace & quiet

Augusta County

Peace & Quiet 87.3

All Virginia counties

Showing 133 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

Rank	County	Overall	Economy	Afford.	Schools	Safety	Taxes	Peace & Quiet	Typical home	Income
1	Botetourt County FIPS 51023	78.3	79.3	61.1	96	84.4	70.7	85.5	$310,578	$81,213
2	Hanover County FIPS 51085	77.8	88	53.6	97.3	80.3	71.6	73.9	$454,934	$112,805
3	Poquoson city FIPS 51735	77	100	57.1	97	73.3	57.1	31.8	$462,732	$120,972
4	York County FIPS 51199	76.6	96.4	47.6	98	79	69.1	45.7	$461,496	$109,956
5	King William County FIPS 51101	76.1	86.1	59.2	74.2	87.8	77.4	80.9	$349,721	$86,056
6	James City County FIPS 51095	75.9	94.9	46.1	95.6	81.4	68.5	49	$479,915	$109,985
7	Powhatan County FIPS 51145	75.7	89	46.5	89.6	82.4	76.1	77.8	$493,803	$110,537
8	Rockingham County FIPS 51165	75	85.9	48.5	79	89.8	78.9	85	$358,955	$80,693
9	Goochland County FIPS 51075	74.9	86	38.9	95.6	83.8	79.9	80.7	$581,702	$118,931
10	New Kent County FIPS 51127	74.9	98	60.7	74.7	60.6	73.7	77.2	$439,187	$123,314
11	Roanoke County FIPS 51161	74.1	87.4	56.7	93.7	65.5	61.1	67.1	$334,262	$83,709
12	Giles County FIPS 51071	73.8	69.3	71.5	69.2	83.4	82.1	79.9	$199,651	$65,691
13	Highland County FIPS 51091	73.4	75.6	50.4	77	96	83.2	76.2	$281,504	$65,625
14	Isle of Wight County FIPS 51093	73.2	74.9	56.5	81.2	90.9	65.6	78.7	$376,397	$95,241
15	King George County FIPS 51099	72.8	86.1	50.9	74.3	80.5	78.5	74.4	$470,062	$116,884
16	Loudoun County FIPS 51107	72.7	90.7	44.2	97.9	83.5	55.1	28.1	$805,711	$181,765
17	Prince George County FIPS 51149	72.5	85.1	53.7	79.3	73.4	68.2	82	$353,626	$84,897
18	Washington County FIPS 51191	72.1	69.7	59.4	84.8	69.6	83.1	82.6	$255,766	$64,552
19	Fluvanna County FIPS 51065	72	85.3	59.5	64.4	76	75.7	78	$374,395	$96,768
20	Gloucester County FIPS 51073	72	81.6	50	85.4	73.5	75.5	69.6	$371,033	$84,306
21	Spotsylvania County FIPS 51177	72	94.6	53.1	67.2	73.7	76	58.9	$456,350	$112,738
22	Frederick County FIPS 51069	71.8	95.7	50	58.5	80.4	80.9	70.3	$427,505	$97,606
23	Orange County FIPS 51137	71.8	77.5	55	70	88.9	75.2	76.4	$380,212	$94,008
24	Wise County FIPS 51195	71.5	49.6	84	80	67.4	79.3	81.6	$128,767	$52,943
25	Albemarle County FIPS 51003	71.4	96.5	27.7	93.6	76.4	60.1	82.6	$553,894	$104,392
26	Augusta County FIPS 51015	71.2	89.8	52.1	58.4	76	83.1	87.3	$359,440	$82,049
27	Clarke County FIPS 51043	70.8	83.6	38	74.3	92.4	77.1	78.6	$568,753	$117,111
28	Bedford County FIPS 51019	70.3	71.1	52.3	70.9	84.4	85.4	80.9	$347,761	$78,937
29	Fauquier County FIPS 51061	70.3	88.4	36.1	78.8	89.2	61.6	76.8	$647,006	$130,189
30	Bland County FIPS 51021	69.9	57.5	70.8	63.2	85.9	82.9	79.8	$186,837	$61,216
31	Culpeper County FIPS 51047	69	87.1	39.2	60.2	91.1	79.1	75.4	$485,035	$100,049
32	Bath County FIPS 51017	68.7	59.8	50.9	70.4	94	87.3	82.5	$224,212	$56,184
33	Scott County FIPS 51169	68.6	48.7	62.8	91.1	72.4	76.8	78.7	$170,749	$46,349
34	Fairfax County FIPS 51059	68.5	98.8	33.4	98.4	72.6	39.7	18.3	$774,448	$153,637
35	Chesterfield County FIPS 51041	68.4	85.5	54.3	84.1	59.3	64.5	26.6	$409,268	$101,931
36	Russell County FIPS 51167	68.2	45.5	80.6	79.1	55.4	85.5	79.8	$135,149	$50,012
37	Stafford County FIPS 51179	67.9	85.5	51.3	79.5	59.2	68.2	41.4	$540,304	$137,807
38	Floyd County FIPS 51063	67.7	70.7	51.8	79.5	61.2	79.4	80.2	$275,212	$62,191
39	Appomattox County FIPS 51011	67.6	63.6	47.6	73.7	82.1	84.9	85.1	$290,320	$62,853
40	Tazewell County FIPS 51185	67.5	42.9	78.4	71.5	74.2	77.9	80	$134,741	$47,313
41	Craig County FIPS 51045	67.1	61.3	66.4	53	85.1	81.3	74.2	$227,156	$69,057
42	Montgomery County FIPS 51121	66.7	62.1	38.6	90.1	89.1	63.4	75.7	$342,441	$72,715
43	Franklin County FIPS 51067	66.1	67.1	38	85.6	68.3	86.4	76.5	$355,876	$68,849
44	Wythe County FIPS 51197	66.1	58.1	64.5	69.9	58.9	83.5	86.3	$214,803	$57,745
45	Carroll County FIPS 51035	65.9	53.4	66.9	70.8	63.6	82.1	77.5	$184,194	$54,484
46	Dinwiddie County FIPS 51053	65.8	78.1	64.4	50.4	53.6	80	81.2	$295,196	$83,704
47	Campbell County FIPS 51031	65.5	72	56.7	59.1	57.6	87.4	82.6	$270,596	$66,165
48	Mathews County FIPS 51115	65.5	69.1	46.8	59.8	87.1	79.2	70.9	$342,415	$75,880
49	Rockbridge County FIPS 51163	65.3	79.7	42.1	63.5	67.6	77.7	83.8	$329,288	$65,469
50	Lee County FIPS 51105	65.1	39.6	74	67.6	74.2	80.2	80.6	$117,797	$41,827
51	Patrick County FIPS 51141	65.1	57.4	63.8	71.3	56.5	82.3	77.2	$192,604	$53,038
52	Pittsylvania County FIPS 51143	65	57.6	68.9	65.5	55.6	78.6	82.1	$189,797	$54,085
53	Salem city FIPS 51775	65	74	49.7	93	58.8	54.1	24.5	$286,983	$66,725
54	Smyth County FIPS 51173	64.9	48.8	71.8	52.3	81	78.5	85.1	$154,972	$49,883
55	Southampton County FIPS 51175	64.8	78.6	62.2	48.8	54.5	75.8	81.1	$268,328	$70,795
56	Caroline County FIPS 51033	64.6	81.3	57.7	32.3	75.9	80.3	80.3	$352,917	$87,407
57	King and Queen County FIPS 51097	64.6	68.6	51.2	53.9	76.7	83.4	79.9	$300,988	$70,469
58	Richmond County FIPS 51159	64.6	62.8	59.4	64.4	64.3	76.1	77.3	$244,336	$66,304
59	Pulaski County FIPS 51155	64.5	62.3	65.3	53.8	68.8	74.8	81.7	$215,729	$62,028
60	Prince William County FIPS 51153	64.4	96.4	42.2	73.4	62.3	50.1	14.3	$587,492	$131,402
61	Charlotte County FIPS 51037	64.2	51.2	66.5	66.9	59.6	85.6	78	$186,051	$58,000
62	Warren County FIPS 51187	64.2	75.3	45.1	52.1	82.4	78	69.5	$393,261	$84,682
63	Dickenson County FIPS 51051	64.1	40.9	82.1	52.9	67.6	86.1	80.2	$113,840	$47,254
64	Surry County FIPS 51181	63.9	66.4	62.9	33.4	91.9	72.1	78.1	$278,689	$78,041
65	Virginia Beach city FIPS 51810	63.8	82.3	41.1	89.4	53.3	59.5	21.9	$426,941	$92,968
66	Lexington city FIPS 51678	63.5	62.8	43.2	82.8	84.8	66.5	20.6	$343,201	$84,517
67	Middlesex County FIPS 51119	63.4	72.9	35.1	79.7	63	76.7	66.8	$383,930	$75,060
68	Madison County FIPS 51113	63.3	80.2	41.2	42.2	84.3	76.4	83.9	$414,199	$84,323
69	Alleghany County FIPS 51005	63.2	55.4	73.2	35.1	81.5	75.5	85.4	$177,485	$56,188
70	Greene County FIPS 51079	63.1	82.4	54.3	33.5	74.3	72.9	75.4	$378,637	$89,808
71	Falls Church city FIPS 51610	63.1	100	11.6	100	68.2	40	18.4	$1,148,927	$143,262
72	Colonial Heights city FIPS 51570	62.7	78.5	61.7	68.3	45.6	61.6	19.8	$279,275	$76,505
73	Fairfax city FIPS 51600	62.7	97.5	21.7	86.4	68.3	44.7	18.9	$787,165	$132,348
74	Louisa County FIPS 51109	62.4	73.3	42.9	61.5	63.3	78.4	75	$415,533	$86,689
75	Amherst County FIPS 51009	62.3	65.5	64.8	48.6	47.5	86.2	85	$257,885	$68,724
76	Norton city FIPS 51720	61.9	38.8	75.4	65.7	67.4	69.7	61.8	$120,365	$41,495
77	Mecklenburg County FIPS 51117	61.8	62	58.3	44.7	70.3	84	77.2	$206,873	$57,045
78	Lunenburg County FIPS 51111	61.5	51.9	78.5	35.3	62	87.1	77.2	$144,358	$54,842
79	Amelia County FIPS 51007	61	69.3	55.6	41.4	56.7	88.5	82.3	$326,735	$76,717
80	Brunswick County FIPS 51025	60.8	55.8	77.3	13	88.3	76.6	80.4	$144,832	$53,084
81	Henrico County FIPS 51087	60.7	71.2	44.5	77	57.8	65.1	22.9	$397,234	$88,783
82	Nelson County FIPS 51125	60.7	69.5	35.4	62.3	70.3	78.2	72.2	$361,835	$72,589
83	Arlington County FIPS 51013	60.2	87.6	18.3	97.9	65.2	34.4	18.8	$824,388	$142,114
84	Rappahannock County FIPS 51157	59.7	77.2	12.5	60.9	93.1	73.9	75.5	$562,641	$83,380
85	Chesapeake city FIPS 51550	59.1	79.6	47.4	79.1	25	58.6	38.8	$421,284	$95,373
86	Henry County FIPS 51089	59	47.3	79.3	51.6	31.5	83.8	77.7	$141,995	$50,760
87	Charles City County FIPS 51036	58.7	69.4	65	21.7	-	79.5	80.5	$281,917	$75,417
88	Nottoway County FIPS 51135	58.1	53.7	66.2	23.3	71.5	86.9	81	$194,743	$63,261
89	Manassas Park city FIPS 51685	58.1	100	41.7	33.2	76.2	39	13.5	$461,985	$103,250
90	Halifax County FIPS 51083	56.9	45.8	72.1	30.8	60.2	81.6	82.1	$149,871	$52,013
91	Buckingham County FIPS 51029	56.5	57.5	58.2	20	72.8	86.5	79.6	$249,895	$60,828
92	Covington city FIPS 51580	56.3	32.2	79.7	39.1	80.7	72.7	22.5	$106,639	$41,944
93	Shenandoah County FIPS 51171	56.2	65.1	39.4	33	78.5	78.1	78.6	$341,883	$67,191
94	Buena Vista city FIPS 51530	56.2	60.1	63.8	26.7	83.7	61.6	23	$183,965	$57,833
95	Grayson County FIPS 51077	56.1	55.7	53.9	47	48.6	82.3	76.6	$201,537	$47,730
96	Radford city FIPS 51750	55.9	41.9	45.6	87.1	58.6	67	21.9	$254,686	$57,348
97	Staunton city FIPS 51790	55.4	72.5	48.9	40.2	61.9	65.9	22.8	$282,101	$65,581
98	Sussex County FIPS 51183	55.1	52.4	71.2	16.8	63.4	75	77.5	$185,630	$63,530
99	Page County FIPS 51139	55	58	37.2	41.6	78.6	73.6	74.8	$301,313	$57,037
100	Suffolk city FIPS 51800	55	80.9	50.8	43.1	31.3	52.6	69.9	$385,312	$92,666
101	Buchanan County FIPS 51027	54.5	29.1	92.4	29.7	41.7	81	76	$77,985	$42,886
102	Westmoreland County FIPS 51193	54.3	51.5	43.1	31.8	90.4	72.4	68.8	$306,854	$63,398
103	Cumberland County FIPS 51049	53.8	73.7	41.9	18.2	65.3	75.1	78.6	$280,107	$55,325
104	Greensville County FIPS 51081	53.6	45.9	67.1	8.7	77.7	79.4	80.1	$168,870	$54,668
105	Northumberland County FIPS 51133	53.5	48.8	31.4	65.2	62.5	76.5	68	$362,087	$66,480
106	Manassas city FIPS 51683	53	97.7	45.2	33.2	39	40.1	15.8	$491,878	$113,590
107	Williamsburg city FIPS 51830	52.1	53.9	27.5	83.8	50.3	63.9	21.4	$406,998	$75,604
108	Bristol city FIPS 51520	51.6	50	63.2	49.9	41.7	59.8	21.3	$178,469	$50,404
109	Prince Edward County FIPS 51147	50.1	40.5	47.3	13.6	85.8	84.7	82.2	$239,656	$56,315
110	Waynesboro city FIPS 51820	50.1	72.3	42.8	37.1	38.6	69.8	23.3	$290,337	$59,994
111	Essex County FIPS 51057	49.6	56.2	36.9	15.6	78.5	77	74.3	$295,722	$56,520
112	Accomack County FIPS 51001	47.6	50.3	50	26.7	33.4	83.5	76.9	$243,435	$58,993
113	Alexandria city FIPS 51510	46.8	83.9	19.5	45.6	50.8	32.7	18.2	$685,515	$119,681
114	Northampton County FIPS 51131	46.7	51.9	34.3	12.7	79.6	67.5	77.8	$305,552	$61,632
115	Charlottesville city FIPS 51540	45.9	74.6	13.9	66.9	31.4	44.1	25.7	$487,195	$74,824
116	Roanoke city FIPS 51770	44.5	57.9	54.6	44.7	7.6	51.7	22.8	$218,676	$55,378
117	Fredericksburg city FIPS 51630	44.4	77.8	26.8	38	23.6	63.3	15.6	$466,610	$86,071
118	Lancaster County FIPS 51103	44.3	56.8	30.1	12.3	55.4	80.4	76.1	$389,603	$69,713
119	Hampton city FIPS 51650	43.6	61.7	53.9	23.6	23.9	53.1	22	$275,443	$69,621
120	Emporia city FIPS 51595	43.5	26.1	68.2	-	22.5	63.5	29	$154,434	$51,899
121	Winchester city FIPS 51840	42.9	61.5	28.4	30.4	51.4	54.4	23.7	$354,986	$63,974
122	Galax city FIPS 51640	42.7	36.6	48.9	52.6	17.1	66.6	32.4	$170,033	$38,675
123	Lynchburg city FIPS 51680	41.9	50.6	49.6	28.3	27.6	59.3	22.2	$243,033	$57,947
124	Martinsville city FIPS 51690	41.5	30.6	76.8	15.9	23.3	71.4	17.5	$113,940	$46,727
125	Harrisonburg city FIPS 51660	40	51.6	34.5	18.3	51.6	57.8	26.2	$323,433	$62,254
126	Franklin city FIPS 51620	38.5	51.1	58.1	9.5	16.7	58	19.3	$228,216	$63,245
127	Newport News city FIPS 51700	37.9	60.5	50.1	18.4	4.6	47.6	21.6	$290,235	$69,634
128	Hopewell city FIPS 51670	36.9	41	55	13.7	21	61.7	17.4	$216,368	$54,729
129	Portsmouth city FIPS 51740	35.5	48	50.5	25.8	3.6	41.6	21.2	$260,360	$60,491
130	Danville city FIPS 51590	33.9	22.2	69.8	8.3	4.3	75.2	22.3	$135,403	$44,423
131	Norfolk city FIPS 51710	33.8	56.8	43.3	16.3	1.6	42.5	21.2	$306,421	$66,109
132	Richmond city FIPS 51760	32	64	27.5	7.6	14.4	43.4	21.9	$364,981	$64,587
133	Petersburg city FIPS 51730	29.9	31.9	57.4	3	3.1	57.8	15.4	$193,560	$50,698