The best places to live in Virginia include historic small towns, growing cities, and family-friendly suburbs.

Nicholas Schmidt/Travel + Leisure

More than a handful of factors make somewhere a good place to live.

Theres also personal preference to consider.

Colorful shops in downtown Alexandria

Credit:Nicholas Schmidt/Travel + Leisure

No matter what youre looking for, though, theres a high probability youll find it in Virginia.

The number of green spaces is also appreciated by Leesburg residents.

The pros of living in Leesburg, however, dont come cheap.

High angle view of city street and buildings against sky,Richmond

Richmond, Virginia’s skyline.Dave Parrish/500px/Getty Images

As of March 2025, houses in Leesburg sell for amedian priceof $665,000.

The approximately 80,000-person city is also known for its educational opportunities.

Lynchburg City Public Schools has two well-ranked public high schoolsE.C.

central street of the ancient town near Washington. Ancient buildings of shops, hotels and restaurants., strolling tourists.

Busy street in Middleburg, Virginia.kosoff/Adobe Stock

With that in mind, its probably best suited for retirees or those searching for a weekend retreat.

If this is the pop in of place youd want to call home, nows the time to buy.

Like many towns in Virginia, Sperryvilles market has experienced significant growth over the past few years.

The Town Hall building for Leesburg, Virginia, USA

traveler1116/Getty Images

Theaverage home valuein 2025 is about $506,000, up five percent from the past year.

The real estate market is a bit tough, especially for those on a budget.

Redfin data shows that the median sale price has decreased by nearly five percent year over year.

Lynchburg, Virginia, USA cityscape at Monument Terrace.

Monument Terrace in Lynchburg, Virginia.SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images

Thecost of livingin Staunton is also six percent below the national average.

Your experience in Arlington, however, will greatly depend on your housing budget and which neighborhood youre considering.

As of March 2025,Homes.comreports the average home value is $839,518.

Welcome to Sperryville with Main street sign and established in 1820 on barn building in small town village in Virginia Rappahannock county

Welcome to Sperryville sign.Kristina Blokhin/Adobe Stock

Plus, its just over an hour from Smith Mountain Lake.

But you wont necessarily need to leave the area to find something to do.

Empty wooden chairs in autumn fall foliage season countryside at Charlottesville winery vineyard in blue ridge mountains of Virginia with cloudy sky day

krblokhin/Getty Images

Downtown Staunton, Virginia, USA in autumn, Elevated view.

Downtown Staunton, Virginia.Eli Wilson/Getty Images

Cityscape of Arlington and Potomac River on a Sunny Summer Day - Arlington, Virginia, USA

Nate Hovee/Getty Images

The scenic aerial view on the highway in the Appalachian Mountains in the autumn’s early morning, nearby Catawba and Salem, Virginia, USA.

Aerial view of Salem, Virginia.Alex Potemkin/Getty Images