Living in Virginia Beach, VA
Big city in Virginia
Virginia Beach is a big city in Virginia, home to about 457,000 people, with 1.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Virginia Beach a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Easy flying: ORF is 7 mi away
👎 Cons
- Few dog parks: 9 within 9 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 1.5 million people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Virginia Beach ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Virginia Beach: common questions
What is the cost of living in Virginia Beach?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $378k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,380 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Virginia Beach?
Virginia collects about $2,198 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.8% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Virginia Beach safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach has cool winters: winter days average around 52°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 3″ of snow a year.
Does Virginia Beach get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from hurricanes, heat waves and flooding: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.22 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Virginia Beach?
The nearest major airport is ORF, about 7 mi away.
How Virginia Beach scores
Each bar compares Virginia Beach with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Virginia Beach right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.