Residential comparison · 13 facts
Arlington, VA vs Richmond, VA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Arlington needs about $71,000 in Richmond to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Richmond, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $99,000 in Arlington.
A few differences
- Arlington is lower on property tax rate (0.87% vs 1.2%).
- Arlington is lower on sales tax (5.75% vs 6%).
- Richmond is lower on groceries index (99 vs 100).
Arlington vs Richmond · facet by facet
| Facet | Arlington, VA | Richmond, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $895,000 | $360,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,666/mo | $1,650/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 1.2% |
| State & local income tax | 4.36% | 4.36% |
| Sales tax | 5.75% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 148 | 96 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 99 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $142,114 | $62,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Crime index | 32/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.8/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 210 days | 211 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Arlington, VA · Richmond, VA
Questions & answers
- Is Arlington cheaper than Richmond?
- Richmond has the lower day-to-day cost index (96 vs 148 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Richmond equals $85,000 in Arlington?
- A household earning $85,000 in Arlington needs about $71,000 in Richmond to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Richmond lifestyle costs about $99,000 in Arlington.