BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Richmond, VA

C
Score
50/100
Rank #105 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Richmond is a balanced option for remote work when your priorities include typical rent (2br), plus work-from-home share. Overall, it’s closer to the median in this set (#105 of 200). One thing to keep in mind is broadband subscription.

Methodology · Sources · VA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Richmond ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,374/mo (5% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 17% (37% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 44% (27% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Broadband subscription: 85% (7% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Median household income: $62,671 (17% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
227,595
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 47%Female 53%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,374/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
17%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
85%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$62,671
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
44%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
7%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
72/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
85/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
25/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
93/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

11%
Less than HS
45%
HS / Some college
26%
Bachelor’s
18%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

17%
Work from home
83%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

85%
Broadband
15%
No broadband

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,374/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
85%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
17%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$62,671
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
44%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
7%

Similar cities (by score)

#103 El Paso, TX
50/100
#104 Jackson, MS
50/100
#106 Amarillo, TX
50/100
#107 Orlando, FL
50/100

FAQ

›What is Richmond’s remote work score and rank?
Richmond, VA scores C (50/100) and ranks #105 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Richmond city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Richmond, VA?
Population is about 227,595 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Richmond, VA?
About 47% male and 53% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Richmond, VA?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,374/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Richmond, VA?
Work-from-home share is 17% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Richmond, VA?
Broadband subscription is 85% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Richmond, VA?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 11%, HS/some college 45%, bachelor’s 26%, advanced 18%.
›Where does this data come from for Richmond, VA?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).