Bull Run vs Meadowbrook

Which is the better fit for you?

Bull Run, VA
63
Area Score
Top 36% nationally
Meadowbrook, VA
63
Area Score
Top 35% nationally

Want a third or fourth place beside these? Open them in the shortlist and add more.

Bull Run and Meadowbrook receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from Bull Run to Meadowbrook

It stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.

Everyday prices
10% lower
Regional price level 98.3 against 109.5 (US = 100)
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
−$545 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $1,655 in Meadowbrook against $2,200 in Bull Run.
The median home
28% less
$298,500 in Meadowbrook against $413,500 in Bull Run.
The weather you would swap
Winters 4°F milder
Normal January lows are 29°F in Meadowbrook against 25°F in Bull Run; July highs are 90°F against 88°F (summers 2°F hotter).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

32 occupations have a published median wage in both places. Start typing, or choose from the list.

Median wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ metro figures for that occupation, not a job offer, and the price level is the regional index; neither includes taxes, benefits or how senior you are.

Signals

Bull Run
Meadowbrook
Opportunity: Meadowbrook is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs
56 · Top 50%
Growth: Bull Run is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
59 · Top 31%
vs
57 · Top 35%
Climate: Meadowbrook is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
74 · Top 31%
vs
75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience: Meadowbrook is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
71 · Top 34%
vs
77 · Top 27%
Housing affordability: Bull Run is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 48%
vs
57 · Bottom 31%
Schools: Meadowbrook is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
42 · Bottom 41%
vs
47 · Bottom 46%
Access: Bull Run is the more favorable of the two.
Access
96 · Top 36%
vs
95 · Top 42%
Economic stability: Bull Run is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
61 · Top 45%
vs
55 · Bottom 44%

Measured values

MetricBull RunMeadowbrookSource period
Population16,85920,7492024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income — the two are too close to separate$89,679 ±$7,118$86,054 ±$5,1572024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$41,221 — more favorable$35,3292024 ACS 5-Year
Population density6,462/sq mi2,546/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$413,500$298,5002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$2,002$1,583 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$2,200$1,655 — more favorableFY2026
Cost of living index109.598.3 — more favorable2023
Homeownership rate33.3%75.4%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate3.5% — more favorable3.6%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)−2.4%−1.8% — more favorableJuly 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher39.5% — more favorable25.5%2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate — the two are too close to separate14.0% ±4%11.9% ±3%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)1,6562,67312 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents3.47.1 — more favorable12 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)+78.3% — more favorable+10.9%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high88°F90°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low25°F29°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation43.2"45.5"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport12 mi10 mi — more favorableNASR current cycle
Average commute34.0 min26.9 min — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age33.137.02024 ACS 5-Year
Students per teacher15.914.0 — more favorable2024-25 school year
Math proficiency82.8% — more favorable82.1%2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency80.0%80.2% — more favorable2018-19 school year

A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.

2 rows above show both figures with a ± margin and neither in bold. Those come from the American Community Survey, which samples rather than counts, and the gap between the two is smaller than the uncertainty on the figures themselves — so the survey did not find a difference to report, and calling either one the winner would be reading a result out of noise.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison.

Physical risk tradeoff

Bull Run

No hazard reaches elevated exposure.

Meadowbrook

Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

Bull Run
—
Bull Run: Your Score
63
Area Score
Meadowbrook
—
Meadowbrook: Your Score
63
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: Bull Run, VA · Meadowbrook, VA · How this is calculated: methodology