Life is full of compromises, especially if you want to enjoy a good work-life balance. For example, a big house with all the bells and whistles won't make you happy if you're having to work long hours to afford it. And if you have a long, grueling commute, your work-life balance also suffers. Movoto took a look at five Virginia cities to compare their work-life balances. In the end, of course, the perfect work-balance is dependent on each individual person. So these facts are just meant to help you determine whether one city has a better work-life balance to suit your particular needs than another.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The overall cost of living in Virginia's capital city is just one percent higher than the national average. And it is actually seven percent lower than Virginia's overall cost of living. And though the cost of housing is six percent higher than the national average, it is actually 26 percent lower than the housing index for Virginia.
The not-so-good news? Richmond's median household income is $39,445, which is significantly lower than the national average of $53,046 and Virginia's average of $63,636. And this city's unemployment rate at 7.1 percent and the poverty level at nearly 27 percent is higher than both the Virginia and national figures. As for the commute, the average time in Richmond is approximately 29 minutes, which is slightly higher than the national average of 25.4 minutes but shorter than the 34.5 minutes of the Washington, DC Metro area.
Richmond does boast many great amenities. A number of its most popular neighborhoods are very walkable and are home to a slew of great restaurants, bars and entertainment options. And Richmond is also blessed with quite a bit of green space. It has the James River running right through it, which provides a scenic backdrop for runners and walkers, as well as numerous parks scattered throughout the city.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
In Charlottesville, the overall cost of living is 14 percent higher than the national average and 8 percent higher than Virginia's figure. Contributing heavily to the higher average is the fact that housing in Charlottesville is 44 percent higher than the national average and 12 percent higher than the Virginia average.
Unfortunately, you won't have help paying for your higher housing costs with a higher median household income. The average median household income in Charlottesville is $44,535, which is significantly lower than the national and Virginia averages. And, sadly, the poverty level in the area is 27.3 percent, which is more than double that of the Virginia and national figures. On the good news side, Charlottesville's unemployment rate is nearly four percent, which is lower than the national and Virginia averages.
More good news -- Charlottesville is a pretty college town that also has many great amenities, including excellent restaurants and bars. And the commute time is just over 17 minutes, which is less than the national average.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Before we hit you with the numbers, it's important to note that Alexandria lies just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC -- a very costly place to live. Now don't faint, but Alexandria's overall cost of living is 42 percent higher than the national average and 34 percent higher than Virginia's average. Most of that increase is due to the high cost of housing in Alexandria, which is -- again, please don't faint -- 132 percent higher than the national average and 100 percent higher than Virginia's average.
Fortunately, living near DC typically means a lot of high-paying jobs. And, thus, the median household income for Alexandria is $83,996, which is significantly higher than the national and Virginia averages. Alexandria also enjoys a lower than average unemployment rate, and its poverty level is also only at eight percent, which is quite a bit lower than both the Virginia and national averages. Another plus? Alexandria is blessed with a lot of excellent restaurants and bars and many sections are extremely walkable. The average commute at 30 minutes is, however, a little longer than the national average, but that's not unexpected for a community that is situated so close to the nation's capital.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke's cost of living is 14 percent lower than the national average and 22 percent lower than Virginia's figure. Housing is also more affordable in Roanoke than in other areas of Virginia, and is 25 percent lower than the national figure and 57 percent lower than Virginia's average.
Unfortunately, Roanoke's median household income is much lower than the national and Virginia figures. Then there is the poverty level, which at 21 percent is significantly higher than the national and Virginia averages. Unemployment, however, is only slightly higher than the Virginia rate and is actually less than the national average.
Roanoke enjoys a beautiful mountain setting, and the area boasts pretty rivers, several large lakes and approximately 600 miles of hiking and biking trails. This city is also just a short drive from several colleges, including Radford and Virginia Tech. And at 18 minutes, Roanoke's average commute time is less than the national average.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Virginia Beach, which is the biggest city in Virginia, has an overall cost of living that is 13 percent higher than the national average and 8 percent higher than Virginia's figure. Housing is not cheap in this area, which probably shouldn't be surprising given this city's proximity to the beach. Virginia Beach's cost of housing is 47 percent higher than the national average, but just 15 percent higher than Virginia's rate.
The good news? The median household income in Virginia Beach is about $12,000 higher than the national average and just slightly higher than Virginia's number. And at seven percent, the poverty level is significantly lower than both the national and Virginia averages. Virginia Beach also has an unemployment rate that is lower than both the national and Virginia figures. As for the average commute, it is 22 minutes, which is slightly less than the national average.
Virginia Beach has a lot to offer residents, including an awesome beach and lots of free entertainment and festivals, especially during the summer months. This city also has an excellent variety of restaurants and bars, especially in its resort section and in the Town Center.
