11 VA Towns Ranked Among Best Places To Live By U.S. News

VIRGINIA — Eleven towns in Virginia — including six in Northern Virginia — are among the 250 best places to live, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report that looks at value, desirability, job markets and the quality of life in U.S. cities.

Those in Virginia named to the Best Places to Live In the U.S. in 2025-26 are:

• No. 100 Burke: Despite the unemployment being higher than the national average in Burke, the median household income was higher at $175,059, compared to the national median household income of $75,149.
• No. 121 Reston: There were more single people in Reston than the national average — 48.2% of the Reston population was married, and 51.8 percent were single, according to the Best Places to Live report.
• No. 129 Arlington: In Arlington, the median household income was $150,974, and the average commute time was about 33.0 minutes. The unemployment rate here was 2.81 percent, lower than the national average of 5.33 percent.
• No. 134 Virginia Beach: With its 38-mile coastline, Virginia Beach provides residents a choice of clean and easily accessible family- and pet-friendly beaches, according to U.S. News and World Report.
• No. 142 Chesapeake: The median household income in Chesapeake was $100,250, compared with the national median household income of $75,149, according to the report.
• No. 163 Leesburg: With a 2.85 percent unemployment rate and a median household income of $157,734, Leesburg offered a more favorable job market than much of the rest of the country.
• No. 165 Centreville: Centreville offers a higher value of living compared to other cities in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report. The unemployment rate was 4.39 percent, which was lower than the national average of 5.33 percent.
• No. 171 Staunton: The average price of a house sold in Staunton in 2024 was $227,284, which was less than the national average of $281,900.
• No. 218 Lynchburg: New home buyers in Lynchburg paid an average of $195,598 in 2024, lower than the national average of $281,900.
• No. 220 Roanoke: In 2024, the average home cost in Roanoke was $185,979, which was nearly $100,000 less than the national average of $281,900.
• No. 245 Alexandria: Alexandria's 3.3 percent unemployment rate was lower than the national average (5.33 percent). The average household income was higher as well, $130,327 compared to $75,149.

This year, U.S. News expanded its data to evaluate more than 850 cities to publish the 250 best places, up from 150 in years prior. The new data considerations and the expansion of evaluated cities resulted in a new top 10 for the 2025-2026 year, with Johns Creek, Georgia, taking No. 1 due to its strong job market and desirability scores.

Related:

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• 25 Most Affordable Places To Retire Includes 2 VA Cities: Forbes
• This Virginia Beach Town Makes List Of Best On East Coast

“The expansion of the 2025-2026 Best Places to Live rankings gives consumers a more detailed view into what it’s like to live somewhere at the community level, enabling them to consider more options for potential places to settle down,” Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report, said in a news release

The full top 10 are:
1. Johns Creek, Georgia
2. Carmel, Indiana
3. Pearland, Texas
4. Fishers, Indiana
5. Cary, North Carolina
6. League City, Texas
7. Apex, North Carolina
8. Leander, Texas
9. Rochester Hills, Michigan
10. Troy, Michigan

The cities were determined based on a methodology that takes into account the city’s job market, value, quality of life and desirability.

U.S. News said measures were weighted in part based on a public survey of thousands of individuals throughout the country to find what qualities they consider important in a place to live. The news outlet also used its own internal research data, as well as data from U.S. agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“While quality of life remains the top priority for many Americans – and has the heaviest weight in determining the Best Places to Live rankings – U.S. News slightly adjusted its weights to increase priority for a location’s job market amid heightened economic uncertainty,” Giovanetti said.

The 859 cities analyzed for the 2025-2026 were then ranked within state-specific rankings.

“This year’s release celebrates the top 250 places that meet consumer needs best, but also offers the ability to view top-ranked cities in states of their choice,” added Giovanetti.

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