Charlottesville, VA
Census place 5114968 · pop 45,437
Home of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and the University of Virginia he founded, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.53 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
44.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
19.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$486,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,046/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$74,824 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.80% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
62.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
27/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Charlottesville: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Charlottesville, VA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Charlottesville scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is income inequality. Virginia overall ranks #14 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Charlottesville, VA expensive to live in?
- Charlottesville has a median home value of $486,700 and typical rent around $2,046/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Charlottesville, VA?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.53) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Charlottesville, VA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.3%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and the University of Virginia he founded, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.