Richmond, VA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

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Richmond city · Richmond · population 233,655

Richmond, VA
Image: Wikipedia · Richmond, Virginia
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69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Richmond stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $374,265
1-year +1.6%
5-yr CAGR +5.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$374k$174k$246k$318k$389k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
38/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,678/mo$1,177$1,478$1,779202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent129134100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.6
Lean buy

At a 18.6 price-to-rent ratio, Richmond is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
58 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
66 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
60 · w16%
Rent YoY
66 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
76 · w10%
Long thesis

Richmond has held up across the cycle: home values at $374,265 with +5.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Richmond's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Richmond

Richmond is a city in Richmond city, Virginia, with an estimated population of 233,655. The population grew 0.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Richmond is $374,265 as of 2026-04, up 1.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Richmond average $1,678 per month, up 3.1% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Healthy 5-year run: +5.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Richmond (Wikipedia)

Richmond is the capital city of the U.S. state of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city since 1871. It is the fourth-most populous city in Virginia, with a population of 226,610 at the 2020 census. The Richmond metropolitan area, with over 1.37 million residents, is the third-most populous metropolitan area in Virginia and 44th-largest in the United States.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorDanny Avula (D)
Area62.57 sq mi
Elevation213 ft
Incorporated1742
Mottoforce singular (Thus do we reach the stars)
Density3782/sq mi
Named forRichmond, London

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Richmond city right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Richmond city routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Richmond

110 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Wilton$1,935,511+3.3%
2Windsor Farms$1,693,718+8.3%
3Stonewall Court$1,384,409+3.6%
4Westhampton$876,071+1.2%
5Malvern Gardens$869,427+2.8%
6Three Chopt$720,997+3.0%
7Westover Hills$670,245+3.6%
8The Fan$660,544+0.6%
9Laburnum Park$647,930+3.3%
10Mary Munford$644,656+1.1%
11Colonial Place$640,149+1.0%
12The Museum District$626,004+3.0%
13Ginter Park$586,734+2.2%
14Willow Lawn$585,475-1.6%
15Forest Hill$575,042+1.8%
16Willow Oaks$569,030-4.4%
17Sauer's Gardens$559,150-0.8%
18Carillon$551,738-1.5%
19Oxford$546,472+0.4%
20Sherwood Park$535,187+4.3%
21Monument Avenue Park$527,485+1.4%
22Stony Point$526,478+1.0%
23Carytown$521,270-1.4%
24Southampton$518,165+0.6%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Richmond

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
47° / 27°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
87° / 65°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
205
~56% of year
Annual precip
44″ rain
14″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Richmond listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Richmond area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$87,200
Virginia state median
Top industries (state-level)
Government/DefenseTech (NoVa)Shipbuilding

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Richmond

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

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