Charlottesville, VA Reviews

Great Area But Cost of Living is Expensive - 8/27/2014
I came to Charlottesville for a new job opportunity working at NGIC as a Software Engineer. I stayed there for about a year till my job ended. While I was up there, I noticed there is a huge cap with income inequality. Most of the middle class people lived outside of Albemarle County due to the high cost of real estate and taxes. Most of the jobs do not pay enough to justify for the high cost of living. Unless, you get a job at the hospital, UVA, or NGIC (like me) that pays well, you will be struggling living in Charlottesville. Now Charlottesville does have a lot of history here; however, I do not think most people are willing to pay for the high cost just to live in. Yes the sales tax on merchandise and stuff is 5.30%; however, if you dine out at restaurants a lot like me the sales tax is 9.3%. All groceries you purchase at the supermarkets there is a 2.5% sales tax, even on water and milk which I think is crazy. Also, if you are new to Virginia like me to register your car Read More

Real Estate is Expensive When Comparing to Income - 8/14/2014
I came to Charlottesville for a new job opportunity working at NGIC as a Software Engineer. I stayed there for about a year till my job ended. While I was up there, I noticed there is a huge cap with income inequality. Most of the middle class people lived outside of Albemarle County due to the high cost of real estate and taxes. Most of the jobs do not pay enough to justify for the high cost of living. Unless, you get a job at the hospital, UVA, or NGIC (like me) that pays well, you will be struggling living in Charlottesville. Now Charlottesville does have a lot of history here; however, I do not think most people are willing to pay for the high cost just to live in. Also, another thing this site does not mention is yes the sales tax on merchandise and stuff is 5.30%; however, if you dine out at restaurants a lot like me the sales tax is 9.3%. All groceries you purchase at the supermarkets there is a 2.5% sales tax, even on water and milk which I think is crazy. Also, if Read More

Real Estate is very expensive - 3/17/2014
Charlottesville, Va is a beautiful place to live, work and raise a family. However it is also very Read More

Too expensive too snooty - 12/26/2013
I came to Charlottesville five years ago, and cannot wait to leave. Unless one has family here, or is affiliated with UVA, it can be a lonely experience. Very hard for one to find one's niche; I am a friendly person, and have lived all over the country,but I have found this town to be too rude, and "full of itself." I do not understand why it made"best place" lists, unless someone paid for that. It's way too expensive for basic necessities(especially housing) in proportion to salaries. The traffic is a nightmare; the infrastructure is too small for the growth; the weather is extreme, because of the Blue Ridge Mountains.(ice storms, high wind turbulence, hot humid summers)The town has a lot of trees, so when there are storms, many times the power is out sometimes for quite a while, because the power lines are above ground. The crime rate for a town of this size is high. Last year I heard on the local news there are 150 distinct gangs here. I have spoken with people who have lived here Read More

Too expensive too snooty - 12/26/2013
I came to Charlottesville five years ago, and cannot wait to leave. Unless one has family here, or is affiliated with UVA, it can be a lonely experience. Very hard for one to find one's niche; I am a friendly person, and have lived all over the country,but I have found this town to be too rude, and "full of itself." I do not understand why it made"best place" lists, unless someone paid for that. It's way too expensive for basic necessities(especially housing) in proportion to salaries. The traffic is a nightmare; the infrastructure is too small for the growth; the weather is extreme, because of the Blue Ridge Mountains.(ice storms, high wind turbulences, hot humid summers) The crime rate for a town of this size is high. Last year I heard on the local news there are 150 distinct gangs here. I have spoken with people who have lived here a long time, and the consensus is that it use to be a nice friendly Southern town. No Read More

Weather - 12/1/2012
Charlottesville is located just east of a mountain that protects it from most of the bad weather. The weather patterns show that the bulk of any bad weather circles around Read More

Good College Town - 4/5/2012
Not too big and quiet during the Read More

Saying I live in Charlottesville is a little bit o - 2/12/2011
I've lived in Virginia my whole life. After attending school in Richmond and beginning my professional life there (VCU, Virginia Museum), I moved to Charlottesville in then early eighties. My husband and I are not wealthy people, but we've worked hard and built a wonderful life for ourselves here. Over the years, we've considered opportunities to move back to the Tidewater area, where the lifestyle was more affordable. Honestly, and even though we do miss the water, we never gave t serious thought. We agonized a little more over a career move to the Northern Virginia area, because the money would have been so much better. In both cases, we ultimately opted for staying in Charlottesville for the quality of life it affords us. We live in Albemarle County, which is 750 square miles surrounding tiny Charlottesville. Though I moved here in my mid-twenties from a rockin' life in Richmond and resented the pedestrian-ness of the place in the eighties, that really has changed. The Read More

Charlottesville Virginia Horse Country - 2/11/2011
If horses and riding are your passion, Charlottesville and the surrounding area is the perfect place to live. The gently rolling countryside provides an excellent setting for a horse farm and is a delight to ride through. Albemarle County is home to two foxhunts and there are numerous horseshows year Read More

Why Visit Charlottesville Virginia? - 9/12/2010
The majestic mountains of Virginia, crisp fall breezes, locally owned and operated wineries, and luxury accomodations at some of the finest bed and breakfasts are just a few of the things that you'll experience when you visit Charlottesville, Virginia. Home to UVA and several U.S. Presidents, our town is steeped in history and culturally diverse.
Rated #1 by Frommer's as one of the best cities to live in, Charlottesville offers the convenience of a big city with Charlottesville Albemarle airport servicing several major airports, as well as the hospitality of a small town.
Looking for fun things to see and do? The UVA Cavalier Football team is in full swing behind their new coach Mike London playing several home games at Scott Stadium. With the edition of John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville now allows its residents to stay right here instead of having to go to a larger venue to see their favorite entertainers. Just announced, Dave Matthews is returning to Read More