What BestPlaces Users Say about Richmond
Richmond, Virginia is a bustling city known for its historical significance and charming neighborhoods. With a population of over 230,000, it offers a diverse community and plenty of opportunities for entertainment and education. However, like any city, Richmond has its pros and cons. To gain a well-rounded understanding of living in this particular place, let's take a look at what some users on BestPlaces.net have to say about their experiences.
According to user "JohnD," Richmond is a "great city for young professionals and families." He praises the city's "abundance of job opportunities" and "excellent public schools." Similarly, "SarahR" shares her positive experience, stating that "the people in Richmond are incredibly friendly and welcoming." She also notes that the city has a "strong sense of community" and "plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy."
However, not all reviews are completely positive. User "MarkT" expresses concerns about the city's safety, stating that "crime can be an issue in certain areas." He also mentions the high cost of living and the limited public transportation options. Similarly, "JennyK" mentions the "constant traffic and heavy congestion" as a downside of living in Richmond.
In summary, user reviews on BestPlaces.net highlight the advantages of living in Richmond, such as job opportunities, friendly community, and outdoor activities. However, some reviewers also mention concerns about safety, cost of living, and traffic congestion. Overall, it seems that Richmond offers a unique blend of city living and community charm, but it may not be the perfect fit for everyone.
based on 109 ReviewsGet to know Richmond with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Richmond
A Great Place to Raise a Family - 3/20/2006
My daughters are now 21 and 24 and Richmond was a great place to raise them in terms of youth sports leagues and a general feeling of safety as long as a few parts of town easily avoided were so. An hour to the beginning of the Blue Ridge Mountains and an hour and 45 minutes to the ocean, 40 minutes to a large recreational lake and an hour and a half to two to Washington D.C. provides all the recreational and cultural and historical sites to visit you would need for any weekend excursion. The Counties in the Metro area have decent numbers of recreational parks and available for public use facilities (baseball diamonds, soccer fields, general parks and green space). Cost of living in terms of raising a family is moderate as well. Additionally, the public schools in all the counties outside of the City itself are well regarded and among the best in the State, and can lead, as it did with my daughters, to placement at several excellent public University that are nationally
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New Resident - 3/3/2006
I'm relocating to Richmond from Columbus, OH. Columbus is natorious for it's violent crime rates, and I hear Richmond isn't much better in that department. I've been in C-bus for 5 years now, so I know the different neighborhoods inside and out. Any advice in this department for Richmond. I'm told "the fan" is the place to be...but I'd like to know what other places to check out.
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flyingsnow - 3/1/2006
Travel around town is easy..generally no big traffic jams. Quality of life is good except in the projects...most area crime connected to the projects. Winters generally mild..summers hot and humid. Lots of residential building
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Crime continued - 1/10/2006
I remembered I had posted here about the crime in Richmond last year, and after the recent events in January 2006, I wanted to write a follow-up message. There were recently 9 people killed in South Richmond in the first week of the new year. All of the murders were awful, but the worst was the killing of two young girls. I live in the neighborhood where this happened, and I will admit I slept every night with a knife, my cell phone and my dog in the bed. But while I will never again be casual about locking my doors, I still firmly believe that Richmond is not any more dangerous than any other city of its size. The community has really pulled together over this, and people are making a point of playing with their kids
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Crime - 12/20/2005
Crime continues to be a problem in the City of Richmond. The outdated public housing structure is a spawing ground for crime. This month (12/05) in the Fan area (adjacent to VCU)there have been at least 5 documented attacks on students and residents. If you can deal with outsiders in your neighborhood, than Richmond can be a special
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Agree with Kelly on perception problem - 11/30/2005
I fully agree with Kelly's comments on the perception of crime in the City of Richmond. My wife and I live in the Historic Museum district and it is safer than many areas in the outlying suburbs. Also, if you factor in the danger and cost of driving, the city suddenly becomes more affordable and safer. We walk to all of our daily needs and only spend a fraction of what our peers in the burbs pay on transportation costs. There is also a misperception of the schools in the city. Many young families choose the city until they have kids and then move to the counties. This is largely an unfounded perception that all of the city schools are not exemplory. We send our daughter a city school where the SOL scores are as good if not higher than many of the county schools. There remain some ethnic problems in this city that have unfortunately penetrate the regions institutions and the public's world-view. My wife and I are not from Richmond but the people we know that have lived here
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Richmond is not crime infested - 11/11/2005
Plusses for Richmond: great restaurants, good shopping for a city of it's size, beautiful parks, good universities, great schools in the counties, good place to raise a family Minuses for Richmond: tends to be very provincial, cost of housing is ridiculous (Nov 05), is very boring if you are single, very apathetic towards sports and culture to a certain degree, will probably always be a small city. BUT DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEAR ABOUT THE CRIME. The crime in Richmond tends to be in very specific very poor neighborhoods and it drives the average up. There are plenty of areas of the city that are safe, and the suburbs are about as sterile as they get. For some reason, you will find that the folks that live in the suburbs are afraid to go downtown-it is ridiculous!!!! It is also one of the reasons that Richmond is tending towards the dreaded suburban sprawl and endless miles of strip malls and box
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You'll find whatever you need - 6/19/2005
I heard about the crime in Richmond before I got here and of course like most larger cities you are going to find it. However, I live in the city (downtown), in a nice area and have never felt threatened or scared walking from my car or the gym late at night. You will find whatever it is that you're looking for in this city. Wonderful restaurants, good night life, beautiful parks, nice shops, a plethura of churches. I travel 3-9 months at a time for work and this is so far the best city that I've been to. I wouldn't be put off by all the things that you
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The Good and the Bad..... - 6/1/2005
The good side of Richmond, Virginia is that there is alot of history. There is a few wonderful parks Maymont being the best and Carytown in the City of Richmond is a great little shopping spot.The Bad thing about Richmond and most all cities, which is there is alot of crimes. You here of a murder daily in this area it is common and not rare at all. You have to worry about going out after dark, cause you can be robbed at gun point in a second. There is alot of poor people who live on the streets all over town in which they do beg for money. Before you decide to move to this city I would make sure you are rich enough to buy a nice home in a nice area away from the city where most all the crime seems to be very violent and High. Good Luck and God bless every
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