If your retirement requirements involve hiking through the Appalachian Mountains, soaking up the sun at Virginia Beach, and paying less in taxes, then Virginia is for you.
That’s right. Virginia is not only for lovers. It’s also for people looking to spend their retirement years in safe, affordable cities with plenty to do.
To determine Virginia’s best places to retire, we looked at several important factors like cost of living, crime, amenities, rent, and the distance to the closest national airport for every place with over 10,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 38 cities.
The competition for Virginia’s best place to retire was fierce. It’s not lost on us that many cities on this list are also the state’s safest places and some of the best places in Virginia to raise a family. And there must be something super special about Poquoson and Falls Church.
They keep showing up on all of Virginia’s best of the best lists.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Virginia For 2024
What’s the best place to retire in Virginia for 2024? The best place to retire in Virginia is Martinsville according to the most recent data.
If you choose to live in one of Virginia’s best places to retire, you could be strolling the Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville or rubbing elbows with Staunton’s finest on the greens at The Club at Ironwood. And if you play your cards right, you could just become a permanent resident of Virginia’s best place to retire.
Why did Martinsville take the top spot? And where are Virginia Beach and Chesapeake?
For more Virginia state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In Virginia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Virginia
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Virginia For 2024
/10
Population: 13,539
Median Income: $39,127
Median Home Price: $117,492
Median Rent: $736
Distance to Closest Airport: 81 miles
More on Martinsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,111
Median Income: $83,737
Median Home Price: $605,326
Median Rent: $1,520
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Warrenton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 25,581
Median Income: $59,731
Median Home Price: $275,801
Median Rent: $984
Distance to Closest Airport: 102 miles
More on Staunton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,064
Median Income: $62,735
Median Home Price: $339,972
Median Rent: $1,096
Distance to Closest Airport: 39 miles
More on Front Royal: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 23,046
Median Income: $50,661
Median Home Price: $209,023
Median Rent: $1,033
Distance to Closest Airport: 14 miles
More on Hopewell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,479
Median Income: $114,503
Median Home Price: $419,118
Median Rent: $1,584
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Poquoson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 42,507
Median Income: $41,484
Median Home Price: $137,067
Median Rent: $770
Distance to Closest Airport: 59 miles
More on Danville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 25,372
Median Income: $68,402
Median Home Price: $268,647
Median Rent: $1,053
Distance to Closest Airport: 119 miles
More on Salem: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 22,341
Median Income: $52,519
Median Home Price: $277,470
Median Rent: $909
Distance to Closest Airport: 94 miles
More on Waynesboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,486
Median Income: $66,815
Median Home Price: $422,921
Median Rent: $1,274
Distance to Closest Airport: 15 miles
More on Williamsburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Old Dominion for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in Virginia to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Old Dominion — 593 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 38 places from across the state.
For these 38, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 38, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Martinsville, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Virginia.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Virginia Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Virginia goes to Martinsville.
The best places to retire in Virginia are Martinsville, Warrenton, Staunton, Front Royal, Hopewell, Poquoson, Danville, Salem, Waynesboro, and Williamsburg.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Blacksburg
- Manassas
- Fredericksburg
For more Virginia reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Virginia
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martinsville | 13,539 | $39,127 | $117,492 | $736 |
| 2 | Warrenton | 10,111 | $83,737 | $605,326 | $1,520 |
| 3 | Staunton | 25,581 | $59,731 | $275,801 | $984 |
| 4 | Front Royal | 15,064 | $62,735 | $339,972 | $1,096 |
| 5 | Hopewell | 23,046 | $50,661 | $209,023 | $1,033 |
| 6 | Poquoson | 12,479 | $114,503 | $419,118 | $1,584 |
| 7 | Danville | 42,507 | $41,484 | $137,067 | $770 |
| 8 | Salem | 25,372 | $68,402 | $268,647 | $1,053 |
| 9 | Waynesboro | 22,341 | $52,519 | $277,470 | $909 |
| 10 | Williamsburg | 15,486 | $66,815 | $422,921 | $1,274 |