You either have to win the lottery or be a descendant of one of Virginia’s many notables, like Warren Beatty, to live in one of the wealthiest cities in the Old Dominion. The richest cities in Virginia are expensive.
You’ll need a salary of over $90,000/year to fit in. Not to mention the cities on our list are centralized around Washington D. C. Cities like Vienna and Alexandria are the playground of Virginia’s rich and famous with great parks, schools, and shopping.
To create this list, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the latest Census and Zillow data on incomes and home prices. We limited the analysis to 79 Virginia cities with more than 3,000 residents.
Wealthy people want to live in the best cities, so it’s not lost on us that there are multiple cities on our ten best cities to live in Virginia for 2026 that are also on our richest list.
$216,953 median income · 5.0% poverty · #1 income in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax County, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in ZIP codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to the north, and Hunter Mill road to the west.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$165,121 median income · 4.6% poverty · #2 income in Virginia
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate. Purcellville is the major population center for western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today, many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$145,205 median income · 6.6% poverty · #4 income in Virginia
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town within and the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia. Leesburg is 33 miles west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according to the 2010 Census is 42,616. The town is also the northwestern terminus of the Dulles Greenway, a private toll road that connects to the Dulles Toll Road at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$148,000 median income · 8.1% poverty · #3 income in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax County, Virginia
Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 23,292 at the 2010 census, which makes it the largest of three incorporated towns in the county.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$143,262 median income · 4.0% poverty · #5 income in Virginia
Located in
Falls Church city, Virginia
Falls Church is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,332. The estimated population in 2015 was 13,892. Falls Church is included in the Washington metropolitan area. Falls Church has the lowest level of poverty of any independent city or county in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$132,348 median income · 9.1% poverty · #6 income in Virginia
Located in
Fairfax city, Virginia
Fairfax, colloquially Central Fairfax, Downtown Fairfax, Fairfax City, or the City of Fairfax, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census the population was 22,565, which had risen to an estimated 24,013 as of 2015.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$119,681 median income · 7.9% poverty · #8 income in Virginia
Located in
Alexandria city, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,966, and in 2016, the population was estimated to be 155,810. Located along the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 7 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$113,590 median income · 7.7% poverty · #9 income in Virginia
Located in
Manassas city, Virginia
Manassas is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 37,821. The city borders Prince William County, the independent city of Manassas Park, and Fairfax County. The Bureau of Economic Analysis includes both Manassas and Manassas Park with Prince William County for statistical purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$102,788 median income · 10.6% poverty · #12 income in Virginia
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$120,972 median income · 4.5% poverty · #7 income in Virginia
Located in
Poquoson city, Virginia
Poquoson is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,150. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Poquoson with surrounding York County for statistical purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Virginia’s statewide median.
Virginia statewide median: $93,170
Virginia statewide median: $412,467
Virginia statewide median: 9.9%
Virginia statewide median: 4.3%
On the map
Where the money lives in Virginia
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the richest places in Virginia for 2026
The first thing most people reach for is personal income. After all, rich people have really high salaries. But one statistic doesn’t capture what it means to be one of the “richest places,” so we applied Saturday Night Science to two measures from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Median household income
- Median home value
Median household income is the most digestible way to understand how rich a place is, and home values are a measure of accumulated wealth. The two combine to define a “Rich City.”
After collecting the data for all 79 places in Virginia with more than 3,000 people, we ranked each place from 1 to 79 on both criteria, then averaged the two ranks into a “Rich Score.” The place with the lowest Rich Score, Vienna, is crowned the richest city in Virginia for 2026.
The full plate
All 79 richest cities in Virginia, ranked
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Rich Score | Population | Median income | Median home value | Poverty | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vienna | 1.00 | 16,412 | $216,953 | $1,179,673 | 5.0% | 4.4% |
| 2 | Purcellville | 2.00 | 8,973 | $165,121 | $909,565 | 4.6% | 1.4% |
| 3 | Leesburg | 3.50 | 49,171 | $145,205 | $865,517 | 6.6% | 2.8% |
| 4 | Herndon | 4.50 | 24,672 | $148,000 | $740,680 | 8.1% | 4.1% |
| 5 | Falls Church | 5.00 | 14,710 | $143,262 | $789,604 | 4.0% | 5.0% |
| 6 | Fairfax | 5.00 | 25,026 | $132,348 | $792,535 | 9.1% | 3.3% |
| 7 | Alexandria | 8.00 | 156,976 | $119,681 | $676,205 | 7.9% | 3.3% |
| 8 | Manassas | 10.00 | 42,976 | $113,590 | $557,119 | 7.7% | 3.8% |
| 9 | Berryville | 11.00 | 4,707 | $102,788 | $570,615 | 10.6% | 1.8% |
| 10 | Poquoson | 11.50 | 12,639 | $120,972 | $462,480 | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| 11 | Warrenton | 13.00 | 10,176 | $83,331 | $681,948 | 9.7% | 2.0% |
| 12 | Manassas Park | 14.00 | 16,798 | $103,250 | $462,197 | 5.1% | 5.5% |
| 13 | Dumfries | 14.50 | 5,816 | $82,355 | $596,416 | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| 14 | Fredericksburg | 15.00 | 28,873 | $86,071 | $480,265 | 13.2% | 5.1% |
| 15 | Culpeper | 16.00 | 20,794 | $94,721 | $451,495 | 12.8% | 2.3% |
| 16 | Smithfield | 16.50 | 8,834 | $113,158 | $393,349 | 5.4% | 2.5% |
| 17 | Virginia Beach | 17.00 | 456,349 | $92,968 | $427,032 | 8.6% | 4.0% |
| 18 | Chesapeake | 17.00 | 252,583 | $95,373 | $420,756 | 9.4% | 4.9% |
| 19 | Suffolk | 20.00 | 98,796 | $92,666 | $384,301 | 9.4% | 5.0% |
| 20 | Williamsburg | 20.00 | 15,798 | $75,604 | $464,104 | 18.8% | 6.8% |
| 21 | Charlottesville | 20.00 | 45,437 | $74,824 | $515,217 | 19.6% | 3.7% |
| 22 | Lexington | 23.50 | 7,525 | $84,517 | $358,989 | 14.0% | 0.6% |
| 23 | Bridgewater | 26.50 | 6,708 | $75,280 | $375,081 | 6.3% | 3.4% |
| 24 | West Point | 27.50 | 3,480 | $78,785 | $332,666 | 3.5% | 0.4% |
| 25 | Orange | 28.50 | 5,066 | $76,370 | $336,894 | 14.1% | 6.7% |
| 26 | Woodstock | 28.50 | 5,871 | $76,100 | $337,785 | 22.1% | 5.6% |
| 27 | Front Royal | 30.50 | 15,296 | $64,838 | $383,200 | 14.3% | 5.0% |
| 28 | Ashland | 30.50 | 7,772 | $61,164 | $463,340 | 24.3% | 4.9% |
| 29 | Winchester | 30.50 | 27,913 | $63,974 | $399,457 | 21.5% | 6.4% |
| 30 | Christiansburg | 32.50 | 22,720 | $77,147 | $304,607 | 11.7% | 2.4% |
| 31 | Richmond | 32.50 | 229,359 | $64,587 | $369,646 | 18.2% | 5.7% |
| 32 | Colonial Heights | 33.50 | 18,352 | $76,505 | $294,925 | 7.9% | 3.6% |
| 33 | Chincoteague | 35.00 | 3,296 | $62,917 | $365,344 | 10.2% | 6.5% |
| 34 | Norfolk | 36.50 | 233,596 | $66,109 | $306,227 | 16.5% | 5.7% |
| 35 | Salem | 36.50 | 25,618 | $66,725 | $305,426 | 10.2% | 3.6% |
| 36 | Strasburg | 37.00 | 7,214 | $62,464 | $346,089 | 7.5% | 5.5% |
| 37 | Newport News | 37.00 | 184,216 | $69,634 | $290,660 | 14.5% | 5.8% |
| 38 | Harrisonburg | 37.00 | 51,392 | $62,254 | $348,178 | 25.7% | 6.9% |
| 39 | Staunton | 37.00 | 25,948 | $65,581 | $308,028 | 12.4% | 5.3% |
| 40 | Broadway | 37.00 | 4,273 | $64,669 | $319,645 | 13.3% | 4.1% |
| 41 | Hampton | 40.00 | 137,557 | $69,621 | $275,341 | 12.7% | 6.3% |
| 42 | Elkton | 40.00 | 3,006 | $62,031 | $321,153 | 9.9% | 4.3% |
| 43 | Vinton | 41.00 | 8,056 | $65,445 | $283,675 | 10.5% | 0.9% |
| 44 | Colonial Beach | 41.50 | 3,966 | $60,513 | $320,868 | 24.4% | 1.3% |
| 45 | Blacksburg | 42.50 | 45,446 | $50,182 | $420,779 | 42.7% | 3.1% |
| 46 | Waynesboro | 43.50 | 22,841 | $59,994 | $312,910 | 11.2% | 5.1% |
| 47 | Rocky Mount | 45.50 | 4,950 | $63,280 | $267,580 | 18.6% | 2.8% |
| 48 | South Hill | 46.50 | 4,786 | $66,023 | $203,441 | 15.3% | 2.6% |
| 49 | Timberville | 48.00 | 3,036 | $59,909 | $288,009 | 17.1% | 5.4% |
| 50 | Franklin | 49.00 | 8,250 | $63,245 | $242,884 | 19.3% | 7.9% |
| 51 | Portsmouth | 51.50 | 97,190 | $60,491 | $260,462 | 17.3% | 6.6% |
| 52 | Lynchburg | 51.50 | 79,497 | $57,947 | $262,101 | 18.6% | 5.3% |
| 53 | Roanoke | 51.50 | 98,355 | $55,378 | $277,113 | 18.3% | 5.6% |
| 54 | Luray | 52.50 | 4,827 | $50,150 | $311,362 | 12.3% | 9.4% |
| 55 | Radford | 53.00 | 16,726 | $57,348 | $261,601 | 28.7% | 8.1% |
| 56 | Abingdon | 53.00 | 8,330 | $54,544 | $281,619 | 15.9% | 3.0% |
| 57 | Hopewell | 56.50 | 22,959 | $54,729 | $232,749 | 21.8% | 9.2% |
| 58 | Buena Vista | 57.50 | 6,593 | $57,833 | $196,020 | 18.8% | 1.4% |
| 59 | Petersburg | 59.50 | 33,537 | $50,698 | $245,998 | 21.7% | 10.0% |
| 60 | Blackstone | 61.00 | 3,341 | $54,570 | $193,028 | 26.6% | 2.4% |
| 61 | Altavista | 62.00 | 3,342 | $51,349 | $199,671 | 11.9% | 7.9% |
| 62 | Lebanon | 62.00 | 3,116 | $53,050 | $195,824 | 17.8% | 0.5% |
| 63 | Bristol | 62.50 | 16,849 | $50,404 | $201,474 | 18.0% | 6.3% |
| 64 | Wytheville | 63.50 | 8,202 | $47,270 | $223,768 | 21.2% | 2.4% |
| 65 | Farmville | 64.00 | 7,774 | $40,966 | $261,292 | 20.4% | 2.9% |
| 66 | Emporia | 64.50 | 5,547 | $51,899 | $159,794 | 15.8% | 2.9% |
| 67 | Big Stone Gap | 65.50 | 5,162 | $54,581 | $140,137 | 26.2% | 7.0% |
| 68 | Pulaski | 67.00 | 8,893 | $49,491 | $168,552 | 21.2% | 5.2% |
| 69 | Bluefield | 68.00 | 4,979 | $54,041 | $128,137 | 15.6% | 3.4% |
| 70 | Covington | 70.50 | 5,680 | $41,944 | $158,023 | 25.7% | 2.8% |
| 71 | Danville | 70.50 | 42,214 | $44,423 | $156,399 | 24.7% | 5.6% |
| 72 | Galax | 71.50 | 6,726 | $38,675 | $182,063 | 31.1% | 5.1% |
| 73 | South Boston | 72.00 | 7,853 | $44,052 | $149,172 | 26.9% | 5.2% |
| 74 | Martinsville | 72.50 | 13,658 | $46,727 | $133,032 | 23.5% | 2.9% |
| 75 | Marion | 72.50 | 5,670 | $40,896 | $157,966 | 20.7% | 4.8% |
| 76 | Clifton Forge | 75.00 | 3,447 | $40,000 | $142,416 | 15.1% | 2.0% |
| 77 | Tazewell | 75.50 | 4,390 | $34,618 | $154,484 | 25.1% | 1.4% |
| 78 | Norton | 75.50 | 3,577 | $41,495 | $115,488 | 26.3% | 3.8% |
| 79 | Richlands | 78.50 | 5,171 | $37,154 | $106,217 | 30.2% | 5.5% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, Zillow research. 79 cities with more than 3,000 residents.
Vienna is the richest place in Virginia for 2026
When we set out to identify the richest places in Virginia, we weren’t sure what we’d find, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in the state. The richest cities in Virginia are Vienna, Purcellville, and Leesburg, and when you look at the data they sit at the very top of the income ladder for everyone who lives there.
Breaking into the top ten takes a median household income of at least $102,788. If you’re curious about the other end of the ledger, the poorest places are listed to the right.
