Colonial Heights receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hopewell
Colonial Heights
Opportunity
22 · Bottom 2%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 17%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Hopewell | Colonial Heights | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,959 | 18,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,729 | $76,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,711 | $37,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,217/sq mi | 2,441/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,600 | $246,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | $1,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.9% | 68.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.8% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.0% | -20.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.90 | 12.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 20.4% | 48.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 60.1% | 2019-20 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
Hopewell
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, drought.
Colonial Heights
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.
Hopewell
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Colonial Heights
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hopewell, VA · Colonial Heights, VA · How this is calculated: methodology