Richmond receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hopewell
Richmond
Opportunity
22 · Bottom 2%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs82 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 17%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Hopewell | Richmond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,959 | 229,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,729 | $64,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,711 | $45,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,217/sq mi | 3,827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,600 | $353,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | $1,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.9% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.8% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 2,714 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 11.8 | 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 | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.90 | 12.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 20.4% | 26.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 36.5% | 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.
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Hopewell, VA · Richmond, VA · How this is calculated: methodology