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Charlottesville, VA

Government town · 31.8% of jobs are government, including public universities (U.S. 12.1%)Healthcare and research hub · Healthcare and science jobs 1.7x the U.S. share

Hollymead is part of the Charlottesville area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Charlottesville

Charlottesville Downtown Mall
Charlottesville Downtown Mall · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
View west along Interstate at Exit in Charlottesville, Virginia
View west along Interstate at Exit in Charlottesville, Virginia · Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
City Hall Charlottesville
City Hall Charlottesville · Photo: Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0
Court Square
Court Square · Photo: Jhb 10s ( talk ), Public domain
Cville bus Station
Cville bus Station · Photo: Brett VA, CC BY 2.0
First United Methodist, Charlottesville, VA
First United Methodist, Charlottesville, VA · Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
John Paul Jones Arena
John Paul Jones Arena · Photo: Bob Mical, CC BY 2.0
Monticello
Monticellofromgardens
Monticellofromgardens · Photo: Queerbubbles, CC BY-SA 3.0
Financial, Charlottesville, VA
Financial, Charlottesville, VA · Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY 3.0
Scott Stadium UVa
Scott Stadium UVa · Photo: Mak7912, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
Charlottesville
Charlottesville in Virginia
Virginia in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Charlottesville area.

18
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
34
coffee shops
61
parks
118
playgrounds
11
libraries
3
movie theaters
11
live theaters
6
museums
23
bookstores
2
comic shops
25
gyms
10
bars
6
pharmacies
3
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Charlottesville area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
56 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
214 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 28,763 rented homes in the Charlottesville area, 78% rent for under $2,000 a month and 95% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 17%
$1,000 to $1,499: 31%
$1,500 to $1,999: 30%
$2,000 to $2,499: 14%
$2,500 to $2,999: 4%
$3,000 or more: 5%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Charlottesville area rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $3,000 to $3,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $4,500 to $5,997 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,500 to $1,999, that's a yearly income of about $54,000 to $71,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Virginia: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Virginia DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Virginia voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Virginia keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$269/week
about $14,000 a year
$152/week
about $7,900 a year
Toddler (2)$228/week
about $11,900 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$223/week
about $11,600 a year
$133/week
about $6,900 a year
School-age$195/week
about $10,100 a year

For an infant at a center: $269/week here, $261 across VA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 11% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Virginia →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

2 colleges in the county around Charlottesville. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Virginia-Main Campus · Charlottesville
Public, 4-year · 25,924 students · $22,323 in-state, $59,633 out-of-state
Piedmont Virginia Community College · Charlottesville
Public, 2-year (community college) · 5,174 students · $4,928 in-state, $10,931 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$466,498
What a typical home sells for across the Charlottesville area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 1% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $99 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 99.1 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
24 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $2,074 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in VA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
3 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
Fewer than 10 a year
The CDC doesn't publish exact counts under 10. VA average: 14.3 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 8.2 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 220 people without housing in the Charlottesville area (6 counties): 179 in shelters and 41 outside, up from 125 in 2024. VA: 8.2 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$102,617
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.74% of home value a year
About $740 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 5.75%
VA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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