Signals
Charlottesville
Lake Monticello
Opportunity
78 · Top 10%
vs85 · Top 3%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 13%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
50 · Bottom 47%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
54 · Bottom 5%
vs61 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Charlottesville | Lake Monticello | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,437 | 10,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,824 | $106,818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,540 | $54,583 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,435/sq mi | 1,205/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $486,700 | $325,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,540 | $1,981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.2% | 95.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.5% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.2" | 48.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 62 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.1 | 42.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.46 | 13.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.4% | 57.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.4% | 62.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.0% | 60.6% | 2024-25 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Charlottesville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Lake Monticello
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake, drought.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charlottesville
60
Your Score
64
Area Score
Lake Monticello
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charlottesville, VA · Lake Monticello, VA · How this is calculated: methodology