Fredericksburg, VA
Census place 5129744 · pop 28,873
Site of the bloody 1862 Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg; George Washington's boyhood Ferry Farm sits across the river.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
39.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
32 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$483,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,065/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$86,071 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
46.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.60% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
22/100 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.
Not measured for Fredericksburg: 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 Fredericksburg, VA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Fredericksburg scores 51/100 — 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 natural disaster risk and its weakest is homeownership. 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 Fredericksburg, VA expensive to live in?
- Fredericksburg has a median home value of $483,700 and typical rent around $2,065/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Fredericksburg, VA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (39.7%) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Fredericksburg, VA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (22/100) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Site of the bloody 1862 Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg; George Washington's boyhood Ferry Farm sits across the river.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.