2023 Best Places to Live in the Richmond Area

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: I love living here. Great schools, many community amenities, excellent job opportunities, lots of diversity, and (relatively) affordable housing.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 8,966

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  50 reviews

Former Resident: Short Pump was a great place to grow up that was family friendly, safe, and had great public schools. The schools were all walkable from most of the neighborhoods and there were grocery stores and the neighborhoods had lots of families.... Read 50 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 27,332

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.81 out of 5  37 reviews

Current Resident: Right outside of Richmond, incredible public school system as well as multiple private school options, very safe, good place to raise a family, more expensive housing options, mostly Caucasian, about 20 minutes from downtown Richmond and 5-7 minutes from Innsbrook.... Read 37 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 12,143

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  48 reviews

Nearby Resident: 23120 is really Moseley not Woodlake. It is a couple of miles west of Woodlake. It is a HUGE growth area. Mostly residential and retail but more and more businesses are coming to the area. The quality of life is fantastic. However, employment centers are mainly 30 miles away but with the onset of COVID-19, most employers have their employees working from home so my commute has gone from 26.9 miles and 45 minutes to 0 miles and 0 minutes. This is THE area for families. Fantastic public schools. Everything you could ever want to shop within a 15 minute drive. Lots of restaurants. Nightlife or bar life is very limited but if you are raising a family, why would you care about that? Most of us call this area Moseley or the greater Winterpock area. Brandermill and Woodlake made the area famous over three decades ago but the growth area is west of those two developments. You can find homes from $400,000 to $1,000,000 in the area.... Read 48 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 7,398

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.74 out of 5  68 reviews

Current Resident: I would change programs in schools. Although students are taught very well, they are extreme bullies. I would want to see anti-bullying programs here.... Read 68 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 48,187

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.84 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: I’ve lived in Bon Air for 3 years and it is a great place to live. It is very accessible to all parts of the Richmond metro area, a short drive to Short Pump or downtown. One reviewer said there is crime, well, there is crime everywhere. If you look at Bon Air on crime nexus or other reporting site, it has some of the lowest crime in Metro Richmond and Chesterfield. Most of the crime is centralized towards Jahnke road and East of Chippenham Hospital. Bon Air is very safe. If we’re comparing accessibility, Bon Air is central to most of what you’d want to see in and around Richmond. It is also growing rapidly with Grocers such as Wegman’s, Lidls, Costco and Sam’s Club right on the border with other retail. Just North of Bon Air is the James River with access to many river activities. Most of Chesterfield County’s community events are also mostly localized in or very near Bon Air. Overall, excellent place to live!... Read 25 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 17,846

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: Brandermill is Beautiful! I've lived here for 2 decades and can say there's no other place comparable to this HOA. To name a few, Brandermill has 3 pools, two overlook the Swift Creek Reservoir, 6 parks, 15 miles of walking paths, boating center, boat landings, docks, pavillions, gazebos, marina, storage center, community garden, easy access to restaurants, shopping and highways and top rated schools. Many events are planned by the BCA, Fall Festival, Spring Clean Up, Winter Festival, July 4th parade and Fireworks display and much more. The BCA has monthly board meetings that are open to all residents along with committee volunteer meetings throughout the month to help with communication and the needs of residents. I highly recommend Brandermill as a place to live!... Read 16 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 13,745

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

• grade A

• grade C

• Population 2,193

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Nearby Resident: I love this neighborhood. It’s family friendly, residents like to garden and it has a homey suburban feel in the city.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 1,654

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

• grade A

• grade B minus

• Population 2,461

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 4.26 out of 5  126 reviews

Current Resident: Glen Allen is a peaceful city with a variety of attractions and places. All the schools have well-qualified teachers and the people within the community are fairly friendly. All around the city, one can find a variety of stores, restaurants, and parks. I have lived in the area for my entire life, so far, and I'm looking forward to staying in the area!... Read 126 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 14,783

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.69 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: I can live anywhere and considered other options, but kept dreaming of a rowhouse in the fan. The historic houses are gorgeous and I love looking at them every day. People are much more friendly and neighborly than I’ve experienced anywhere else. There are lots of dogs too. I can walk to coffee, parks, a bakery, groceries, the dentist, my doctor, etc.... Read 42 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 10,325

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

• grade A

• grade C

• Population 1,358

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Bellevue is an old, vibrant neighborhood which flourishes on the family environment it provides. It contains many old trees and neighbors keep their yards tidy with beautiful plants and flowers, which is a nice feature of the neighborhood. Almost everyone is kind and considerate, which provides a feeling of safety. There is a small street filled with local restaurants and small shops within walking distance of everyone in the neighborhood. Bellevue is a wonderful place to live!... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 1,719

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Stratford Hills is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the City of Richmond, especially in the spring! With big lots and beautiful houses, the neighborhood is desirable for those who like well-kept older and unique homes. Homeowners take pride in keeping their homes updated and yards manicured and well-landscapesd. The hilly and windy roads are excellent for all types of exercise, and it’s clear neighbors agree, as many can be seen running, or walking with dogs and/or strollers.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 3,319

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 1,049

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: Pleasantly residential, but within walking/biking distance of restaurants, grocery stores, bars, entertainment, etc.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A

• grade C

• Population 4,928

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.64 out of 5  11 reviews

Niche User: It's a pretty safe area.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 1,192

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 1,256

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 4.57 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: It is a true neighborhood. Everyone living here looks out for each other. It is a small corner of haven in a 'city' environment.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 1,139

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.33 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: I lived there when I was born and I do enjoy the quietness of it. The neighbors around me were very polite and friendly. I loved the fact that almost everyone around me has a dog. Which is good because I love dogs.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• grade C+

• Population 5,069

• Neighborhood in Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• grade C+

• Population 1,375

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.31 out of 5  16 reviews

Niche User: It's obviously not the best place in the world, with all the issues we have, but it's like every other place you would go. There will always be a negative perspective in life. Over all I would choose to live here again if it was a major decision. The other reasons would be because I have family here and it would be the same knowing that I'm leaving my family behind.... Read 16 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B minus

• Population 7,880

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: I really enjoy living here. Most people are generally friendly, and it a great family environment with great schools. There are many great restaurants and stores here.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 4,411

• Suburb of Richmond, VA

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  Rating 3.33 out of 5  51 reviews

Niche User: This area is very diverse, as we have residents of all ethnicities and age groups. There are few neighborhood activities, but if one were to walk down the street, many neighbors would say "hello" or wave. Many speed bumps are in place to make it safe for children to play outside, but most of the youth outside are teenagers. The high schools in Chesterfield County are very good. There have been a few break-ins recently. Power outages occur as often as they do in other neighborhoods, and last anywhere from 12 hours to 3 days.... Read 51 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 12,192