The numbers behind living in Richmond

What it costs to live in Richmond

The Richmond skyline as seen from the James River

See how Richmond compares to other cities by cost of living. | Photo by @stabomediaphotography

With Richmond constantly growing and undertaking multiple high-profile developments this year, we figured it was time to talk about the cost of planting some roots in the River City.

The median household income in the City of Richmond is $51,421 according to the US Census Bureau. State-wise, Virginia is No. 10 in the country for median income at ~$76,398 per household.

RICtoday_CostofLiving_OverallScreenshot — The overall cost of living in Richmond is lower than the national average.

The overall cost of living in Richmond is lower than the national average and lower than the rest of the state.

In Richmond, the cost of healthcare is lower compared to other parts of the state + the US. The cost of groceries, housing, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses in the city have lower average costs than other cities in Virginia and the country overall.

Breaking down the numbers

Hypothetically speaking, if you live in a household that brings in $50,000 annually — according to experts — you shouldn’t spend more than 30% of your monthly gross income on rent and utilities.

Don’t worry, we did the math for you — your max monthly budget would be $1,250. The average monthly rent for an apartment in Richmond is $1,459 — putting you over budget.

According to a recent study by Attom Data Solutions, it’s actually more affordable to buy a home in the City of Richmond than to rent.

Take a look at the chart below to see how Richmond’s cost of living compares to that of Arlington.

RICtoday_CostofLiving_RVAvsArlingtonCompare — Richmond has more affordable health care than Arlington.

Interested in seeing Richmond’s cost of living compared to cities in other states? We played around on nerdwallet’s cost of living calculator, where you can put in any city along with your current pre-tax household income to find out what other cities you could actually afford to live in.

We took a look at the cost of living in Richmond compared to Baltimore, MD. Here’s what we found:

The cost of living is 20% higher in Baltimore.
To maintain our standard of living, we would need to bring in $59,799 to our Charm City household.
The median cost for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,755, which is $650 more than Richmond.

Richmond also has entities such as the Better Housing Coalition + other government-funded programs to help develop more affordable units.

There are also a number of local development firms working on apartments seemingly all the time — from the new 12-story building at Broad and Lombardy Streets to the affordable housing development from Dakota Partners at Brady Square.

Use the buttons below to share this with someone considering a move to Richmond.

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

“Nope” | Tues., Sept. 27 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre | $8 | See the latest horror film from director Jordan Peele. 🐴

Wednesday

Wilderado | Wed., Sept. 28 | 7 p.m. | Richmond Music Hall, 619 E. Main St. | $18 | The indie folk band will play with Husbands + Tyler Meacham. 🎶
Midweek Matinees: “No Time to Die” | Wed., Sept. 28 | 2 p.m. | RPL West End Branch, 5420 Patterson Ave. | Free | Snacks are provided at this free screening. 🍿
Freckled Flower Farm Workshop | Wed., Sept. 28 | 5:30 p.m. | Hardywood West Creek, 820 Sanctuary Trail Dr. | $36 | Grab some friends + arrange dahlias, sunflowers, and zinnias. 🌻

Thursday

“The Devil’s Half Acre” Book Signing and Walking Tour | Thurs., Sept. 29 | 5:30 p.m. | The Valentine, 1015 E. Clay St. | $30 | Join author Kristen Green for a meet-and-greet + walking tour of the historic Shockoe Bottom site. 📚
College Jam 2022 | Thurs., Sept. 29 | 3-7 p.m. | Historic Tredegar | Free, RSVP | College students should bring their IDs to chat with Richmond businesses about career opportunities. 💼

Friday

Nick Woods, Jaylin Brown, The Great Beforetimes, Bean Weatherford | Fri., Sept. 30 | 8 p.m. | Gallery5, 200 W. Marshall St. | $10 | Groove out with local musicians in Jackson Ward.

Saturday

PopUp RVA Market | Sat., Oct. 1 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Diamond | Free entry | Support small businesses at this weekly market which features live music + food trucks. 🛍
History Unfolded: U.S. Newspapers & the Holocaust | Sat., Oct. 1 | 12-2 p.m. | Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St. | Free, RSVP | Volunteer to help uncover history by accessing microfilmed newspapers. 🗞

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Grind your coffee, not your teeth

When customers join the Remi Club, they receive brand new replacement night guards every 6 months for just $49. | Photo provided by Remi

Calling all anxious teeth grinders: Stress is really bad for your sleep. If you’re grinding + clenching your teeth at night, it might be time to take an additional step in protecting your physical and mental health.

To help, these custom night guards are:

80% less expensive than the dentist
Delivered right to your door
Made of 100% BPA-free plastic
Comfy (read: most folks forget they’re wearing it)

Get yours below — and keep the grind in the kitchen. ☕ *

STOP GRINDIN’

Weather

77º | Sunny | 1% chance of rain

Civic

The City of Richmond has launched a newsletter to communicate directly with River City residents. Subscribe to get updates. 📥

Development

Richmond’s first Shake Shack is set to go up at the Willow Place shopping center on West Broad Street. The 30-year-old Willow Place is undergoing a renovation which will include two new tenants — a HomeGoods + a yet-to-be-named grocery store. 🍔 (Richmond BizSense)

Arts

Burning Man artist Kate Raudenbush will premiere an exhibit at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden next year. “Incanto: An Oasis of Lyrical Sculpture” contains five works in collaboration with poet Sha Michele. The show will be on view April 28-Oct. 29, 2023.
Ever seen an otter flip pancakes? Or, how about a skateboarding rabbit? Now is your chance. At the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU’s new Wonder Tower, local artist Matt Lively is painting a mural featuring animals of the James River doing imaginative activities. See how you can help bring the project to life. 🎨 *

Outdoors

The area around Branch’s Baptist Church is now greener thanks to a reforesting effort which removed 20,000+ sqft of pavement. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation worked with the Southside church to plant 30 native trees where an unused parking lot + basketball court once stood. 🌳 (RVAHub)

Edu

UR is officially renaming its law school. The university’s board voted unanimously to change the name from the T.C. Williams School of Law to the University of Richmond School of Law. T.C. Williams was a tobacco business owner who enslaved dozens of people in the 19th century. (ABC8 News)

Pets

If you’re looking for a dog-friendly event, here’s a wiener. Dachtoberfest will celebrate all things dachshunds at the Delta Hotel (555 E. Canal St.) this Sat., Oct. 1 from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Expect races, costume contests, raffles, vendors + guest speakers. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. 🌭

Shop

The Richmond Makers Market returns to Basic City Beer Co. (212 W. Sixth St.) this Sat., Oct. 1 from 12-6 p.m. for Spooktoberfest. The market will feature dozens of local vendors, food from Auntie Ning’s + Billy Pie, and a dog costume contest.
Football season is in full swing. If you’re headed to a game this fall, don’t forget to pack your game day essentials in a stadium approved bag. This clear crossbody with 8,000+ positive reviews is a must + we also love this trendy fanny pack option.*

Asked

We’re finalizing our upcoming list of sushi superlatives. Roll over to our inbox to let us know your picks for the best sushi in town — you could get a shout out in a future newsletter. 🍣

Stat

In 2021, Chesapeake Bank served 121 organizations with 4,710 hours, between 92 volunteers. Now that’s what we call investing in your community. 👏*

Eat

Skip the meal hassle with Sunbasket, a meal kit delivery service that makes healthy eating beyond easy. Sunbasket offers 10 different meal plans that work for those with dietary preferences and specific restrictions (think: paleo, gluten-free, veg, diabetes-friendly + more). Bonus: Sign up for $100 off your first four deliveries. 🥕 *

Health

Did you know? Our allergy triggers change and evolve over time as we age. Read: You might have new allergies you don’t even know about — to find out your most updated allergy triggers, take Picnic’s easy, at-home allergy quiz. Pro tip: Picnic can prescribe customized allergy medicine for relief, too.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Early voting is open 🗳

Election Day is Tues., Nov. 8 and early voting has begun. Here’s our guide on how to vote in Richmond.

🗳 How to vote

Register, update your registration, or apply for an absentee ballot using the VA Dept. of Elections Citizen Portal.

Find your polling place to vote on Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

If you want to vote early in-person, head to the local registrars office — for Richmond, that’s 2134 W. Laburnum Ave.

Pro tip: You need an acceptable form of ID to vote.

🗓 Important dates

Mon., Oct. 17 | Deadline to register to vote (or update your existing registration)
Fri., Oct. 28 | Deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to your home
Sat., Nov. 5 | Last day of in-person early voting
Tues., Nov. 8 | Election Day

Click the button below to see what’s changed + what’s on the ballot.

THE WRAP

	Today’s issue was written by Robin. Editor’s pick: It’s almost October — let me know what events you’re looking forward to and which ones we should add to our calendar. I can’t wait for the Folk Festival (Oct. 7-9) and VisArts’ Craft + Design fair (Oct. 14-16). 🗓 Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Sip on this list of fall beer releases at 8 local breweries.
Read More

Connect with us.

Editorial: Robin Schwartzkopf, Katie Potter, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Rachel Sklenar | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?