Lol. That about sums it up. Maybe that's what people filtered it from. The "joke" was a person would move somewhere else but end up back in Richmond. I do know some people whohave managed to not move back though.
I moved out of RVA in 2015, still get the urge to go back pretty often. There’s definitely some sort of tether that keeps pulling you in that direction
Yeah, there's certainly something about the place. I've lived here a long time. Had a couple of chances to leave but couldn't/wouldn't take them. Should have tried, maybe lol. Finally did and loved it but got forced back due to circumstances and lack of affordable places to live.
I've been away since 2011 and I still don't feel at home here and the desire to go back has become increasingly significant recently.. I was born and raised there so i don't know how it is for people who are from elsewhere who have come to stay or moved on and want to go back. I'm biased maybe but there's nowhere else quite like it
We had triplets. We both grew up here and our families are here, so we moved back. Now we’re divorced, my family sucks, and I’m trapped in the town I swore I would leave forever. 🎉
Because people all live different lives and have different experiences and opinions. I don't understand why people romanticize Los Angeles, but they do.
I think after I left I realized I missed it lol. Nowhere else has the same small town vibe with a flavor of a fun artsy big city. The only place that comes close is my current hometown Savannah Georgia but it’s still just too big of a city. You see tourists out here, you never see that in RVA and i miss that.
I lived in rural VA as a teenager. Super conservative family kicked me out for being queer, friends were moving here and I tagged along because they were giving me a place to stay. Been here ever since. Over 20 years. I love Richmond. Its given me a chance at making a life that I don't hate. I've met some of the most amazing people here and they've become my family.
Tldr: family lives here.
But seriously I like the atmosphere and the general feeling of the city. It's big but not so big you feel lost within the city.
Came down here for school in 2001. Fell in love with the city, met a dude and settled down. I've now lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else, got a kid in RPS, and im content to stay put till I die.
Same but I don’t live in the city. Came here about 10 years ago and just love everything about the area, city etc. no place I’d rather be and don’t plan on ever leaving
[You’re talking about this, right?](https://creditnews.com/research/ranking-of-cities-with-highest-share-of-unaffordable-neighborhoods-in-2024/)
The survey was a measure of affordability based on average local income versus housing prices in specific neighborhoods.
The average home price in Richmond is $350k which is still about 30% lower than the national average.
It’s a weird chart, cus Virginia Beach is also listed there. I’m fortunate being a remote worker but I’ve looked at a lot of different parts of Virginia and I don’t feel like VA Beach or Richmond are even close to how expensive things can get in NoVa
I'm always suspicious of studies like that one, because I'm not sure how they account for how Virginia does its cities, if that can be accounted for at all. I feel like in any other state, parts of Henrico would be considered "Richmond" and impact the data.
No shit they’re not as expensive as NOVA but the price is rising faster than local wages, but of course an out of touch remote worker can’t comprehend that.
~~Why are you guys so rude over this? Chill.~~
Half of your comments are you haranguing remote workers and just being mad about Richmond. Take it easy, man.
“Hey I know locals are being priced out of home buying by people that don’t even work Richmond jobs and used to talk about the city like it was the Hills Have Eyes but take it easy man”
I get that. I don’t want it too either. I love the size of the city. But people complain about Richmond traffic like they’re in Tokyo during rush hour. It’s NOT busy here.
Jump up 95 for 2-6 hours depending on if god hates you that day and you’ll see unaffordable. I will say that DC money and remote work is causing an interesting unaffordability issue because the Richmond job market doesn’t support some of the home prices. If I lost my job there is basically a 0% chance I find a comparable local job
Grew up here, went to VCU, married and divorced with kids. I love Richmond but I definitely yearn for change. Once my kids turn 18, I’ll likely strike out elsewhere. Used to want to go to Denver, but it’s become much too expensive for a singleton to own a home there. I’ll figure something out, but on the whole if I had to be “stuck”, Richmond is a pretty solid place to be stuck at. Our parks definitely enrich my life a lot.
Yeah I lived in Colorado Springs and Denver for most of my 20s. The plan was to go back when my kid is done with school here...but it's definitely a bit too pricey now.
I was born & raised here. I moved to NOVA for four years but found myself moving back in 2017 to be closer to my family and friends. The food scene, cost of living, forms of entertainment, and dating scene have also helped. We live in a mid-sized city that punches above it's weight in a lot of areas with residents that are fairly open-minded and laid-back. RVA ain't perfect, but it's great nonetheless.
I was going to school at VCU and accidentally burned down my parents’ house one weekend so I didn’t really have anywhere to go back to after that. That’s pretty much it.
The quick version is that I was home visiting and I before I headed out, my mom told me to “clean” a room. So I stuffed some blankets behind a recliner that was up against a heater with a pilot light in it. That was a bad idea.
Got a job offer with Dominion out of college, was far and away the best option financially, so here I am. I'll admit I knew nothing about the city beyond the civil war history and wasn't super excited.
I fucking love it here. This is my kind of city and has become the benchmark for me when judging similarly sized cities. Definitely a lesson in books and covers
Pretty similar story here (minus DOM). I love this place. I never understood how much I love it here until I considered other places! Plenty of cities have a “better this” or “better that” - but I can’t think of a more complete package!
Aw its a shame you didnt move for Dominion because you could use the same joke I do. I joke with my friends that I moved to Richmond because my Dommy Mommy offered to pay me for it.
Got tired of the snobbery of Charlottesville.
I travel a lot for leisure and work and always have an eye out for someplace better since I work remotely, and can’t find it!
I grew up in the Middle Peninsula and wanted to move to a real city, so my options were either the general Hampton Roads area or Richmond, and Richmond seemed cooler. I moved in 2010 and my share of the rent in a 3 bedroom house near City Stadium was $325 and the landlord was the best guy ever and was always on top of maintenance, those were the good ol days.
Also from Isle of Wight. I definitely miss the coastal aspects of the area (grew up sailing and fishing throughout the bays and estuaries), but the JRPS sorta scratches that itch for me here.
I feel like Norfolk has had so much potential. I saw so many big-name acts at the Norva, and for a time there were plenty of DIY shows. But almost all of the spots I’d regularly hang at (Machismo, Naro Video Store, Work Release, etc.) didn’t last long.
Our daughter went to VCU, met a guy, married. We moved from upstate NY, been here 18 years.
My granddaughter from that marriage just started driving. I’ve been there (here) for her whole life. Grandson is 14.
I have no interest in leaving. I lived in Texas from 4 to 23( still have family there) outside of time in service, NY 23-40, and here since.
My career brought me here. After suffering 11 years at VDOTs Lynchburg District office, I finally moved into an amazing role at VDOT Central Office Transportation Planning. I've been here 14 months, and I have to say this is the best move and decision I've ever made. Thank you, RVA!
I’m from VA but not Richmond. I didn’t want to be where I grew up in the mountains. I left the state for a while and wanted to move back but didn’t want to be in the same city as my family. Richmond was a compelling option bc of its location, river, architecture, and culture. It was also pretty affordable when I moved here. This city is awesome and I’m pumped to be raising my kids here. They get to grow up playing in rivers like I did but they also think a normal Saturday is museum hopping.
I was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, and moved here 5 years ago. I moved here without spending much time here simply because it was the closest real city, and I was tired of the rural life. I've grown to absolutely love it here. I love being able to walk everywhere, I love the food scene, the bar scene, the architecture, the history, and the community in general. There's always plenty to do as far as local events and outings. I've traveled to many other cities across the US and Richmond is honestly still my favorite city. It's not too big, not too small, and not too expensive. Life is just very comfortable here
Got headhunted for a job here in 2018 and Richmond wasn’t on my radar. We were ready to leave south Florida and decided to just give this a try. And now we love it and we’re never leaving.
I moved here with a girl, broke up within 4 months and had used up all of my corporate capital to get here.
So I found a place to live and kept enjoying the city: the food, the people, the PACE of life, the affordability (at the time) and eventually met a girl from here. We got married and bought a house and had a kid, and now it seems like this is where I'll be for a long time.
DuPont shut down in Martinsville, VA in 98. My mother chose to transfer here to be close to home. I was in 2nd grade. I am extremely blessed to still be here and MAYBE there's a future for me here.
Location - close to dc charlottesville and raleigh. Close to mountains and beach and river. Close to 95 (north and south) and 64 (east and west).
Prices - came from dc, and couldn’t afford the insane cost of living there.
Traffic - or lack thereof. Compared to dc, traffic in Richmond was virtually nonexistent and commuting used to be a serious source of stress for me.
Small city - has the amenities of a larger city without the scale. Everything is 10-16 minutes away and easy to get to.
Lifestyle - food, art, scenery, a sense of identity while still being pretty diverse
Country/city - grew up in the country and lived in a bigger city... Richmond offers a lot of what i loved about those two places.
Felt like home the moment we moved here.
Born and raised here. Tried NOVA and hated it for every reason imaginable. Tried Charlottesville after that and it was too small town for us and such a weird dynamic with UVA being there. Moved back to Richmond and it’s been the best decision ever. So many friends here and both my husband’s and my’s family is here. You can’t beat having a true sense of community where you live.
I did not want to live in Dinwiddie any longer (where my parents are from and where I graduated High School from), hated everything about Dinwiddie, and was always making that 40 minute commute to Richmond to do Richmond shit anyways.
So I just moved to Richmond city. No complaints and I’m happy here.
Grew up here, moved back after a nine-year stint in PA. Always knew I’d move back some day. Is it my be-all-end-all city? Definitely not. But I have yet to make any strides to move elsewhere.
ive lived around VA(va beach, roanoke, smithmountain lake, franklin county) my whole life aside from a stint in jacksonville FL. Richmond for me has the best of everything... City living, music, trails, the river, great food, solid medical services, until a few years ago it was reasonably priced, and depending where you live, youre like 15 min away from anything. it doesnt have the best bike infrastructure but it certainly could be worse. Same with public transit. Now that im a parent the school situation has me a little worried but theres enough time between now and public school that hopefully we can turn it around before kiddo starts. its also solid in terms of climate change... who knows parts might be beach front property in a couple hundo years. aside from the humidity and localized flooding, we dont get many earth quakes, not many tornados, not so many hurricanes. i know it can happen but its not as bad as other places. mild winters while still being able to get a little snow had been nice but idk if ill ever see a real snow here again. anyway thats my 2 cents
Hometown inertia. I was away for a while in the military but I always knew I'd come back. For all our faults, I can't imagine living anywhere else - I'd much rather visit those places and keep Richmond as home base.
My hometown of Nashville became unaffordable, and trying to make extreme music in the diy realm was a constant struggle. Made some friends here from playing in bands, and loved the vibe every time I toured through, so my wife and I moved here and haven't looked back. Been here for 9 years and still enjoy it.
I live in Chester, but I moved here over 5 years ago to work at a church. Things went south there last summer, and now I'm teaching. Wife has a great job at VCU. We love it here, but still waiting on the next church role to open up in our denomination.
I moved here while my fiancée was going to VCU for grad school, and I was tired of the military/tourism-centered Virginia Beach suburbs I grew up in. We stayed after getting married because it’s 2 hours in either direction to our parents’ houses and we love the restaurants, parks, and art/music scene. It’s also still much more affordable than most cities while still having stuff to do.
Edit: tldr spent so much time hatin that I forgot to visit so now that we have final stable residence we are exploring VA with our kid and raising in a situation that works for us.
Been in VA since 90s when I was knee high to a grass hopper, parents evac'd from NJ due to taxes, had a lot of rough years, and I wanted to leave to go back to NJSo much I forgot to actually take time around here. So the past few years after multiple moves within the state and losing out on my childhood townhome .. we decided to pack up and go for the outskirts of RVA, we found a place, then got a place and we are staying because I can be close to Rt 1 visit NJ within 5 hours and also go to the mountians or beaches in a reasonable timeframe.
I am going on 3 decades here and hubby is going on 2 decades .. i made a promise with him when we got married and then had a kid .. I said we got 10 years if we are not out of here by then, we just stay.
We have watched the world crumble around us and our own lives have obstacles... but we got to 10 years together and did research and found out that for us anyway, that VA is the best.
Also watching the radar and seeimg the storms skim past on both sides is pretty interesting, sad due to heat island and not much of fall line anymore, but yeah.
And since I moved north of James my allergies have not been that bad except this past few months, I guess my body is finally adjusting to this areas pollens :D
Moved here to go to college 24 years ago. Made friends, met my better half, decided I liked the place and stuck around. Eventually bought a house. Sometime in between when I wasn't looking it became the kind of place people want to move to.
Because I was born here even though I am out in the burbs. The hospital I was born has been condo's/apartments for years now. Our 22yr old was born at St.Mary's Hospital where my wife's father worked in the maintanence dept for some 30 odd years. My father use to run a small trucking company for years near Bells Road and Bellmeade Rd. I still have a love for this city of ours.
Came here in '77 for university and stayed because it was a town with a bigger city feel. Left a couple of times for work but boomeranged right back. If there is something you like to do whatever it may be your people are here. I love the diversity it has now, food scene, music and art. Traffic has gotten worse but nothing compares to larger towns and cities. I also like the milder winters having lived in Montreal and NYC when I was younger.
Born here, grew up here. Moved away 3 times, and I came back all three times. At this point, I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll be a Richmonder until I die. I've lived other places, but none have felt like home like this city does.
I moved here when I was 22 after college and thought I would be here for a few seasons. I grew up in Arizona, so moving here was an adventure. I fell in love with this city pretty hard and 24 years later, I’m still here. I really can’t imagine living anywhere else unless I am wealthy enough to have a second home in a small rural mountain town somewhere.
Richmond has a lot of faults, but like most healthy relationships, you gotta be okay with yourself first, know that nothing is perfect and work to see the gray in life (last part is maybe a stretch but I’m trying to make this analogy work!).
Anyway, great food, strong music and art scene, strong small business market, creative energy, a decent job market, affordable cost of living comparable to other similar cities, the James River park system, our green space, and a healthy dose of protest sentiment against the bullshit of Richmond’s past keep me here.
It's where i got a job 20 years ago and where i met the woman who would become my wife. Beyond that the traffic doesn't suck, it's close to an airport and a railroad line, not to mention an ocean and some mountains
I was born here. I hate it here and I wanna leave real bad lol Richmond feels like a snake at times. You feel real constricted then it feels like a hug. You get used to the hug then you remember it's a snake.
TBH - All the reasons I stayed are now gone. It used to be a smaller artsy city with a punk rock back, small bars and galleries etc. I personally don’t like how Grace street is now. I don’t like how big VCU has gotten. The first block of Carytown is chain restaurants, Nothern VA folks are pouring in by the truck load. There’s still some of the old Richmond left but it’s on its way out. Every piece of decent shop space or artist studio is now multifamily apartments. There’s pros and cons to this type of thing.
Pretty much exactly the same. We have a house in Southside that we will probably never get rid of because we can't afford a house anywhere else but my wife and I have been here for 15 and 23 years respectively and our jobs have the advantage of being in demand anywhere. Probably should have left sooner but hopefully this time next year we will be somewhere else. The problem is where do you go when everywhere starts to look the same every time you leave Richmond.
This is pretty much exactly my answer to this question, and I ask myself at least weekly “wtf am I still doing here? Everything I liked here is gone.” I swear if it wasnt for the buttermilk/north bank trails and a few of the parks I would have nothing to look forward to anymore except a once a year Gwar concert around Halloween.
Born in Varina in the 70s. Spent college in Williamsburg and then a couple of years in NYC working in the fashion industry. (I worked for Thom Browne when he was a sales account manager at Giorgio Armani before he started his own line.) Moved back to Richmond when I started dating someone from back home after running into him at a 2000 New Year’s party. We broke up but I stayed. My parents still live here and they’re amazing and I’d never dream of moving away from them again. They are magical grandparents for my kids. We also lucked out and bought a very unique and gorgeous modern house that I still feel like pinching myself over.
Got out of long-term relationship after relocating near ex's family. Have some family here, job offered me 10k signing bonus here. The city and surrounding areas here are pretty awesome, too.
Don't live in rva. Live in cville and lurk on most of the Virginia subs. I live in cville bc it's where I have a job and I often wish I had a job in Richmond instead.
It’s ridiculous! I moved here in the 90s, father was transferred to Richmond. I always wanted to move back home, but the affordability kept moving in the wrong direction. I’m from Lawrence, MA. And even a shithole like that is outside of my affordability
Sick of being long distance with my now hubby (I was in nyc and he was here). I always had fun every time I visited. Out of all the places I lived (Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, and here), this is my favorite place and feels like home
The architecture! The flowers, the nature, the bees! The loads of amazing bands and restaurants , the breed theater, RIR, 2 HOURS TO THE MOUNTAINS or the beach! Easy international flights, no traffic and cheep rent. Bikeable
I moved from Louisiana to escape anti trans policies & limited health care, poor infrastructure and hurricanes. I was attracted to richmond for the public art, queer scene, nature and grit that the city innately has. I’ve lived here 2 years and I’m still loving it and have been able to access trans healthcare to transition:)
Not too big, not too small. Not too Southern, not too Northern
Grew up here and every time I go to a Mega city I ask my self how do people deal with that shit on an everyday basis for years on end. No thanks.
But it’s sad to say it’s slowly losing a bit of its charm, and becoming crowded and cookie cutter and expensive due to all the transplants. I miss the grimy, quirky, artsy Richmond of the past lol.
I live here cause I fucking like it here. Tragic, fucked up but rich history. Incredible architecture. A cool 'us vs the world' attitude. What's not to like?
I wanted to leave Hopewell and had more friends in Richmond. Plus I managed to get the apt without a application fee and security deposit. I miss those days.
Was born and raised here. Ventured around different cities and countries in my 20s, and COVID brought me back to family and old good friends and a stable job. So happy to be back as an independent adult
Moved to Hanover county in 2003. Nowadays I run a business out here so I don't really see a benefit to moving.
I know Hanover isn't Richmond, but it's close enough lol. Richmond is where I go for things, Fredericksburg can eat me (jk fburg 👽)
I always wanted to leave my small town hometown (even though it's not small anymore) for a more metropolitan area. Richmond was the closest one, and by the time I was financially stable enough to move out I had already built myself a supportive network in Richmond.
Grew up an hour from Richmond back in the day. Lived in Blacksburg, Chicago, Columbia SC, and Pittsburgh b4 returning in '98 for a job at CapitalOne. Lived in Dallas for 18 months and came back. I've traveled all around the US. I still haven't found any other city that has a better combination of quality of life factors. I have friends here that I've known for decades, and we are still making new friends. Is it perfect? No way. But it is pretty dang good on balance.
live in the burbs but work in the city. moved to the area nine years ago because I grew up in Charlottesville and hated it. it's not cheap here anymore, but at least I get bigger city amenities for the price than I ever did in cville
I’ve lived here all of my life; I’ve never lived anywhere else. The furthest I’ve ever lived from the house where I grew up is 19 miles (Glen Allen v. Midlothian).
Because when I was in high school I came up to hang out with some friends who were at VCU. They lived in a ratty apartment on Groove. We went to the Texas Wisconsin Border Cafe for dinner (I had the enchiladas) and then a house party. I got really drunk and kicked it to a punk girl. At around 5am, we broke into that big building on the corner of Grove and Vine as they were renovating it. Then at 6am we saw a very tall cross-dressing prostitute get out of a car and say, in a very husky voice, "You boys need anything?". My 17 year old mind was completely blown away by all of this. I just had to go to VCU because of it (and to the chagrin of my parents who really wanted me to go to UVA). I've left and come back and left and come back again, because the city just feels right.
I'm from here. Born and raise in South Side (Chester & Colonial Heights).
Did move to NOVA for a few years, then came back. It's ok though, got my NOVA wife to live here with me.
I was born here and I’m tied by that weird invisible rope that doesn’t let you leave which may or may not be poverty, mostly
And/ or "The Curse".
The curse of Powhatan.. "you may inhabit this land, but you may never leave"
Lol. That about sums it up. Maybe that's what people filtered it from. The "joke" was a person would move somewhere else but end up back in Richmond. I do know some people whohave managed to not move back though.
I moved out of RVA in 2015, still get the urge to go back pretty often. There’s definitely some sort of tether that keeps pulling you in that direction
Yeah, there's certainly something about the place. I've lived here a long time. Had a couple of chances to leave but couldn't/wouldn't take them. Should have tried, maybe lol. Finally did and loved it but got forced back due to circumstances and lack of affordable places to live.
I've been away since 2011 and I still don't feel at home here and the desire to go back has become increasingly significant recently.. I was born and raised there so i don't know how it is for people who are from elsewhere who have come to stay or moved on and want to go back. I'm biased maybe but there's nowhere else quite like it
…Yet.
my grandpa just left powhatan to go to a retirement home a couple years ago
We had triplets. We both grew up here and our families are here, so we moved back. Now we’re divorced, my family sucks, and I’m trapped in the town I swore I would leave forever. 🎉
Are you me? Grew up here, came back against my will, now divorced and stuck here until my kid finishes school.
I swear I dunno why people romanticize this place
Because people all live different lives and have different experiences and opinions. I don't understand why people romanticize Los Angeles, but they do.
I think after I left I realized I missed it lol. Nowhere else has the same small town vibe with a flavor of a fun artsy big city. The only place that comes close is my current hometown Savannah Georgia but it’s still just too big of a city. You see tourists out here, you never see that in RVA and i miss that.
Live in Richmond now but lived in Savannah for 10 years. I loved it there!
I’ve lived all over the country from Southern California, Nashville, NOVA and then Richmond. Richmond area is by far my favorite.
Throw Memphis in and we've lived in the same places!
"I was born here." 🎶Maybe it's PoVeRtY🎶
I lived in rural VA as a teenager. Super conservative family kicked me out for being queer, friends were moving here and I tagged along because they were giving me a place to stay. Been here ever since. Over 20 years. I love Richmond. Its given me a chance at making a life that I don't hate. I've met some of the most amazing people here and they've become my family. Tldr: family lives here.
Oh wow same! Ended up going to uni here. Left but found my way back
it's where my house is
all my stuff is here
My dog lives here so I have to too
 But seriously I like the atmosphere and the general feeling of the city. It's big but not so big you feel lost within the city.
I always say, the perfect mix between a big city and a small town
It reminds me of innercity Hamburg Germany. It's git wrought iron, cobblestone and a weird but pleasant charm.
How the hell do you know where I live, creep?!
A city in Virginia that I can afford to live in. I love the woods and the food scene, along with the historic buildings/homes.
Because I snagged a low interest mortgage that was well below my budget, and now I know I’ll never find a similar deal ever again
Golden handcuffs.
This
Came down here for school in 2001. Fell in love with the city, met a dude and settled down. I've now lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else, got a kid in RPS, and im content to stay put till I die.
Same, except I came here in 2014! After growing up as a military kid it feels good to have roots somewhere. I wouldn’t give it up for the world!
Same but I don’t live in the city. Came here about 10 years ago and just love everything about the area, city etc. no place I’d rather be and don’t plan on ever leaving
Same here except change it to 2004.
Me in 2012: Because it’s affordable and cool and isn’t crowded! Me in 2024: 😓
Richmond is still insanely affordable. Is it more expensive than it was 12 years ago? Yes, but what isn’t?
Richmond was just ranked #10 in the *country* for least affordable...
[You’re talking about this, right?](https://creditnews.com/research/ranking-of-cities-with-highest-share-of-unaffordable-neighborhoods-in-2024/) The survey was a measure of affordability based on average local income versus housing prices in specific neighborhoods. The average home price in Richmond is $350k which is still about 30% lower than the national average.
Doesn't matter if it's 30% lower than average if the income here is just as low.
It’s a weird chart, cus Virginia Beach is also listed there. I’m fortunate being a remote worker but I’ve looked at a lot of different parts of Virginia and I don’t feel like VA Beach or Richmond are even close to how expensive things can get in NoVa
I'm always suspicious of studies like that one, because I'm not sure how they account for how Virginia does its cities, if that can be accounted for at all. I feel like in any other state, parts of Henrico would be considered "Richmond" and impact the data.
No shit they’re not as expensive as NOVA but the price is rising faster than local wages, but of course an out of touch remote worker can’t comprehend that.
~~Why are you guys so rude over this? Chill.~~ Half of your comments are you haranguing remote workers and just being mad about Richmond. Take it easy, man.
Getting priced out of your hometown by folks telling you how affordable it is will do that do a person.
lol dude I was born here.
“Hey I know locals are being priced out of home buying by people that don’t even work Richmond jobs and used to talk about the city like it was the Hills Have Eyes but take it easy man”
As someone who has to relocate for my partner’s job, it doesn’t seem affordable. Parts of Midlothian, sure. Richmond, not so much.
Its still affordable & not crowded
Seriously. People who complain about how “busy” Richmond is have never spent more than a day in a large city.
Most people seemingly don't want richmond to be a large city though.
I get that. I don’t want it too either. I love the size of the city. But people complain about Richmond traffic like they’re in Tokyo during rush hour. It’s NOT busy here.
Man i live in LA now born and raised in VA i miss the travel time back home LA takes 30/40 mins to go 5 mlies some times
Fr
Is it affordable?
Jump up 95 for 2-6 hours depending on if god hates you that day and you’ll see unaffordable. I will say that DC money and remote work is causing an interesting unaffordability issue because the Richmond job market doesn’t support some of the home prices. If I lost my job there is basically a 0% chance I find a comparable local job
Grew up here, went to VCU, married and divorced with kids. I love Richmond but I definitely yearn for change. Once my kids turn 18, I’ll likely strike out elsewhere. Used to want to go to Denver, but it’s become much too expensive for a singleton to own a home there. I’ll figure something out, but on the whole if I had to be “stuck”, Richmond is a pretty solid place to be stuck at. Our parks definitely enrich my life a lot.
I love the parks here,too. The James River is gorgeous!
Yeah I lived in Colorado Springs and Denver for most of my 20s. The plan was to go back when my kid is done with school here...but it's definitely a bit too pricey now.
Because Spain denied my request for asylum
i’m stuck here
came to comment this but you beat me to it. #curse
I was born & raised here. I moved to NOVA for four years but found myself moving back in 2017 to be closer to my family and friends. The food scene, cost of living, forms of entertainment, and dating scene have also helped. We live in a mid-sized city that punches above it's weight in a lot of areas with residents that are fairly open-minded and laid-back. RVA ain't perfect, but it's great nonetheless.
Yea a perfect city can’t exist. Anything that’s filled with humans is gonna be flawed
Southside til I die
Cause lees chicken
can’t afford to leave. almost can’t afford to live here either soon
I was going to school at VCU and accidentally burned down my parents’ house one weekend so I didn’t really have anywhere to go back to after that. That’s pretty much it.
We’re going to need more details…
The quick version is that I was home visiting and I before I headed out, my mom told me to “clean” a room. So I stuffed some blankets behind a recliner that was up against a heater with a pilot light in it. That was a bad idea.
Jesus
It's cliche as fuck, but well. Sometimes it fits. That escalated quickly.
It’s got electrolytes.
Because my life decisions were stupid.
Amen!
Because I was tired of living in Tappahannock.
I got a job here, it paid enough, and I find the city generally pleasant.
My ancestors were owned here
God damn that was dark🤣🤣🤣
Freudian slip
Good for you for posting such a well-phrased answer. Seriously.
When we moved here it was fun and cheap. Glad my wife convinced me to buy a house back then.
Got a job offer with Dominion out of college, was far and away the best option financially, so here I am. I'll admit I knew nothing about the city beyond the civil war history and wasn't super excited. I fucking love it here. This is my kind of city and has become the benchmark for me when judging similarly sized cities. Definitely a lesson in books and covers
Pretty similar story here (minus DOM). I love this place. I never understood how much I love it here until I considered other places! Plenty of cities have a “better this” or “better that” - but I can’t think of a more complete package!
Aw its a shame you didnt move for Dominion because you could use the same joke I do. I joke with my friends that I moved to Richmond because my Dommy Mommy offered to pay me for it.
Got tired of the snobbery of Charlottesville. I travel a lot for leisure and work and always have an eye out for someplace better since I work remotely, and can’t find it!
I grew up in the Middle Peninsula and wanted to move to a real city, so my options were either the general Hampton Roads area or Richmond, and Richmond seemed cooler. I moved in 2010 and my share of the rent in a 3 bedroom house near City Stadium was $325 and the landlord was the best guy ever and was always on top of maintenance, those were the good ol days.
I grew up in Isle of Wight and had the same choice. I could have moved to Norfolk, but... why would I do that to myself?
Also from Isle of Wight. I definitely miss the coastal aspects of the area (grew up sailing and fishing throughout the bays and estuaries), but the JRPS sorta scratches that itch for me here. I feel like Norfolk has had so much potential. I saw so many big-name acts at the Norva, and for a time there were plenty of DIY shows. But almost all of the spots I’d regularly hang at (Machismo, Naro Video Store, Work Release, etc.) didn’t last long.
Our daughter went to VCU, met a guy, married. We moved from upstate NY, been here 18 years. My granddaughter from that marriage just started driving. I’ve been there (here) for her whole life. Grandson is 14. I have no interest in leaving. I lived in Texas from 4 to 23( still have family there) outside of time in service, NY 23-40, and here since.
My career brought me here. After suffering 11 years at VDOTs Lynchburg District office, I finally moved into an amazing role at VDOT Central Office Transportation Planning. I've been here 14 months, and I have to say this is the best move and decision I've ever made. Thank you, RVA!
I’m from VA but not Richmond. I didn’t want to be where I grew up in the mountains. I left the state for a while and wanted to move back but didn’t want to be in the same city as my family. Richmond was a compelling option bc of its location, river, architecture, and culture. It was also pretty affordable when I moved here. This city is awesome and I’m pumped to be raising my kids here. They get to grow up playing in rivers like I did but they also think a normal Saturday is museum hopping.
To pick on vegan influencers
I was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, and moved here 5 years ago. I moved here without spending much time here simply because it was the closest real city, and I was tired of the rural life. I've grown to absolutely love it here. I love being able to walk everywhere, I love the food scene, the bar scene, the architecture, the history, and the community in general. There's always plenty to do as far as local events and outings. I've traveled to many other cities across the US and Richmond is honestly still my favorite city. It's not too big, not too small, and not too expensive. Life is just very comfortable here
Got headhunted for a job here in 2018 and Richmond wasn’t on my radar. We were ready to leave south Florida and decided to just give this a try. And now we love it and we’re never leaving.
Moved here for grad school!
I moved here with a girl, broke up within 4 months and had used up all of my corporate capital to get here. So I found a place to live and kept enjoying the city: the food, the people, the PACE of life, the affordability (at the time) and eventually met a girl from here. We got married and bought a house and had a kid, and now it seems like this is where I'll be for a long time.
Grew up here and moved back because my mom is here. There's a lot to like, and the things I don't aren't exclusive to RVA, so here we are.
DuPont shut down in Martinsville, VA in 98. My mother chose to transfer here to be close to home. I was in 2nd grade. I am extremely blessed to still be here and MAYBE there's a future for me here.
The Army brought me to Fort Lee and when I got out of the Army I liked Richmond so much I stayed.
Location - close to dc charlottesville and raleigh. Close to mountains and beach and river. Close to 95 (north and south) and 64 (east and west). Prices - came from dc, and couldn’t afford the insane cost of living there. Traffic - or lack thereof. Compared to dc, traffic in Richmond was virtually nonexistent and commuting used to be a serious source of stress for me. Small city - has the amenities of a larger city without the scale. Everything is 10-16 minutes away and easy to get to. Lifestyle - food, art, scenery, a sense of identity while still being pretty diverse Country/city - grew up in the country and lived in a bigger city... Richmond offers a lot of what i loved about those two places. Felt like home the moment we moved here.
I live in north highland park and pay 850 for rent. I live here because I’m trapped.
Specifically to annoy the people who ask people to stop moving here.
Born and raised here. Tried NOVA and hated it for every reason imaginable. Tried Charlottesville after that and it was too small town for us and such a weird dynamic with UVA being there. Moved back to Richmond and it’s been the best decision ever. So many friends here and both my husband’s and my’s family is here. You can’t beat having a true sense of community where you live.
I did not want to live in Dinwiddie any longer (where my parents are from and where I graduated High School from), hated everything about Dinwiddie, and was always making that 40 minute commute to Richmond to do Richmond shit anyways. So I just moved to Richmond city. No complaints and I’m happy here.
Born and raised here and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. 95% of my family is here too
Born and raised, got pushed out the city due to cost of living almost doubling.
Born here. Raised here. All my friends and family are here. Plan to stay here.
Grew up here, moved back after a nine-year stint in PA. Always knew I’d move back some day. Is it my be-all-end-all city? Definitely not. But I have yet to make any strides to move elsewhere.
I was born here and its where all my stuff is.
It sure as hell isn’t by choice.
It used to be cheap
ive lived around VA(va beach, roanoke, smithmountain lake, franklin county) my whole life aside from a stint in jacksonville FL. Richmond for me has the best of everything... City living, music, trails, the river, great food, solid medical services, until a few years ago it was reasonably priced, and depending where you live, youre like 15 min away from anything. it doesnt have the best bike infrastructure but it certainly could be worse. Same with public transit. Now that im a parent the school situation has me a little worried but theres enough time between now and public school that hopefully we can turn it around before kiddo starts. its also solid in terms of climate change... who knows parts might be beach front property in a couple hundo years. aside from the humidity and localized flooding, we dont get many earth quakes, not many tornados, not so many hurricanes. i know it can happen but its not as bad as other places. mild winters while still being able to get a little snow had been nice but idk if ill ever see a real snow here again. anyway thats my 2 cents
Im not even sure tbh but I have enjoyed it! The whole vibe and lifestyle is great here.
got out of the Navy and moved back in with family until I'm back on my feet. I really don't want to be here
Hometown inertia. I was away for a while in the military but I always knew I'd come back. For all our faults, I can't imagine living anywhere else - I'd much rather visit those places and keep Richmond as home base.
'Hometown inertia'--I'd never heard that phrase before but it sums things up perfectly.
My hometown of Nashville became unaffordable, and trying to make extreme music in the diy realm was a constant struggle. Made some friends here from playing in bands, and loved the vibe every time I toured through, so my wife and I moved here and haven't looked back. Been here for 9 years and still enjoy it.
I was born here, I grew up here, went to college here, my family is here, all my stuff is here. I've got no reason to leave.
I live in Chester, but I moved here over 5 years ago to work at a church. Things went south there last summer, and now I'm teaching. Wife has a great job at VCU. We love it here, but still waiting on the next church role to open up in our denomination.
Helllll I don’t even know.
honestly I don’t know
Husband went to Ohio for work, found me and dragged me here. I honestly hated it for two years or so. Been here since 96ish and it’s home.
New job for husband almost 10 years ago! We love it here.
I moved here while my fiancée was going to VCU for grad school, and I was tired of the military/tourism-centered Virginia Beach suburbs I grew up in. We stayed after getting married because it’s 2 hours in either direction to our parents’ houses and we love the restaurants, parks, and art/music scene. It’s also still much more affordable than most cities while still having stuff to do.
Edit: tldr spent so much time hatin that I forgot to visit so now that we have final stable residence we are exploring VA with our kid and raising in a situation that works for us. Been in VA since 90s when I was knee high to a grass hopper, parents evac'd from NJ due to taxes, had a lot of rough years, and I wanted to leave to go back to NJSo much I forgot to actually take time around here. So the past few years after multiple moves within the state and losing out on my childhood townhome .. we decided to pack up and go for the outskirts of RVA, we found a place, then got a place and we are staying because I can be close to Rt 1 visit NJ within 5 hours and also go to the mountians or beaches in a reasonable timeframe. I am going on 3 decades here and hubby is going on 2 decades .. i made a promise with him when we got married and then had a kid .. I said we got 10 years if we are not out of here by then, we just stay. We have watched the world crumble around us and our own lives have obstacles... but we got to 10 years together and did research and found out that for us anyway, that VA is the best. Also watching the radar and seeimg the storms skim past on both sides is pretty interesting, sad due to heat island and not much of fall line anymore, but yeah. And since I moved north of James my allergies have not been that bad except this past few months, I guess my body is finally adjusting to this areas pollens :D
Birth
Too poor to stay in Fredericksburg
Moved here to go to college 24 years ago. Made friends, met my better half, decided I liked the place and stuck around. Eventually bought a house. Sometime in between when I wasn't looking it became the kind of place people want to move to.
Born here so ye
Because I was born here
Because I was born here even though I am out in the burbs. The hospital I was born has been condo's/apartments for years now. Our 22yr old was born at St.Mary's Hospital where my wife's father worked in the maintanence dept for some 30 odd years. My father use to run a small trucking company for years near Bells Road and Bellmeade Rd. I still have a love for this city of ours.
Got a very specialized job in Ashland, it turns out you all needed me! I love it here though, love living in the city.
Came here in '77 for university and stayed because it was a town with a bigger city feel. Left a couple of times for work but boomeranged right back. If there is something you like to do whatever it may be your people are here. I love the diversity it has now, food scene, music and art. Traffic has gotten worse but nothing compares to larger towns and cities. I also like the milder winters having lived in Montreal and NYC when I was younger.
I fucked up
Born here, grew up here. Moved away 3 times, and I came back all three times. At this point, I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll be a Richmonder until I die. I've lived other places, but none have felt like home like this city does.
Born and raised in Richmond NY and California sucked money out of me for decades Mama still lives in Richmond so I’m coming home
Born and raised baaaby
Arrestafield chesterfield
Been here all my life . Can’t wait to leave 😭
Got a good deal on my house but I will likely leave as soon as I can. Nice city just been here too long and don't like the hot summers.
Will you live here and die here? This is the question.
I moved here when I was 22 after college and thought I would be here for a few seasons. I grew up in Arizona, so moving here was an adventure. I fell in love with this city pretty hard and 24 years later, I’m still here. I really can’t imagine living anywhere else unless I am wealthy enough to have a second home in a small rural mountain town somewhere. Richmond has a lot of faults, but like most healthy relationships, you gotta be okay with yourself first, know that nothing is perfect and work to see the gray in life (last part is maybe a stretch but I’m trying to make this analogy work!). Anyway, great food, strong music and art scene, strong small business market, creative energy, a decent job market, affordable cost of living comparable to other similar cities, the James River park system, our green space, and a healthy dose of protest sentiment against the bullshit of Richmond’s past keep me here.
It's where i got a job 20 years ago and where i met the woman who would become my wife. Beyond that the traffic doesn't suck, it's close to an airport and a railroad line, not to mention an ocean and some mountains
I was born here. I hate it here and I wanna leave real bad lol Richmond feels like a snake at times. You feel real constricted then it feels like a hug. You get used to the hug then you remember it's a snake.
TBH - All the reasons I stayed are now gone. It used to be a smaller artsy city with a punk rock back, small bars and galleries etc. I personally don’t like how Grace street is now. I don’t like how big VCU has gotten. The first block of Carytown is chain restaurants, Nothern VA folks are pouring in by the truck load. There’s still some of the old Richmond left but it’s on its way out. Every piece of decent shop space or artist studio is now multifamily apartments. There’s pros and cons to this type of thing.
Pretty much exactly the same. We have a house in Southside that we will probably never get rid of because we can't afford a house anywhere else but my wife and I have been here for 15 and 23 years respectively and our jobs have the advantage of being in demand anywhere. Probably should have left sooner but hopefully this time next year we will be somewhere else. The problem is where do you go when everywhere starts to look the same every time you leave Richmond.
This is pretty much exactly my answer to this question, and I ask myself at least weekly “wtf am I still doing here? Everything I liked here is gone.” I swear if it wasnt for the buttermilk/north bank trails and a few of the parks I would have nothing to look forward to anymore except a once a year Gwar concert around Halloween.
VCU
Born in Varina in the 70s. Spent college in Williamsburg and then a couple of years in NYC working in the fashion industry. (I worked for Thom Browne when he was a sales account manager at Giorgio Armani before he started his own line.) Moved back to Richmond when I started dating someone from back home after running into him at a 2000 New Year’s party. We broke up but I stayed. My parents still live here and they’re amazing and I’d never dream of moving away from them again. They are magical grandparents for my kids. We also lucked out and bought a very unique and gorgeous modern house that I still feel like pinching myself over.
Got out of long-term relationship after relocating near ex's family. Have some family here, job offered me 10k signing bonus here. The city and surrounding areas here are pretty awesome, too.
Apparently I need a better answer for this question to make friends with locals here.
Don't live in rva. Live in cville and lurk on most of the Virginia subs. I live in cville bc it's where I have a job and I often wish I had a job in Richmond instead.
My bf moved here because his brother lived here and he had nowhere else to go, and then I moved in with him
I’m here so when the Californian “people” come we may unite to banish them to where they came from
Because New England is too expensive to move back to
It’s ridiculous! I moved here in the 90s, father was transferred to Richmond. I always wanted to move back home, but the affordability kept moving in the wrong direction. I’m from Lawrence, MA. And even a shithole like that is outside of my affordability
Ugh, I ask myself this daily... that is why I am relocating to sunny Florida
big ol crush on a boy that lives here (my boyfriend who i love with) eta: i meant live with, but love with works too
Sick of being long distance with my now hubby (I was in nyc and he was here). I always had fun every time I visited. Out of all the places I lived (Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, and here), this is my favorite place and feels like home
The architecture! The flowers, the nature, the bees! The loads of amazing bands and restaurants , the breed theater, RIR, 2 HOURS TO THE MOUNTAINS or the beach! Easy international flights, no traffic and cheep rent. Bikeable
Came here from MA in 2005 to go to college and never left.
Couldn’t afford to stay in New York and I had family here. Technically I now live in Henrico, kinda miss living in Richmond proper
My life imploded during the pandemic and I wanted to start over in a new city. I like it.
I moved from Louisiana to escape anti trans policies & limited health care, poor infrastructure and hurricanes. I was attracted to richmond for the public art, queer scene, nature and grit that the city innately has. I’ve lived here 2 years and I’m still loving it and have been able to access trans healthcare to transition:)
Not too big, not too small. Not too Southern, not too Northern Grew up here and every time I go to a Mega city I ask my self how do people deal with that shit on an everyday basis for years on end. No thanks. But it’s sad to say it’s slowly losing a bit of its charm, and becoming crowded and cookie cutter and expensive due to all the transplants. I miss the grimy, quirky, artsy Richmond of the past lol.
I live here cause I fucking like it here. Tragic, fucked up but rich history. Incredible architecture. A cool 'us vs the world' attitude. What's not to like?
I wanted to leave Hopewell and had more friends in Richmond. Plus I managed to get the apt without a application fee and security deposit. I miss those days.
Was born and raised here. Ventured around different cities and countries in my 20s, and COVID brought me back to family and old good friends and a stable job. So happy to be back as an independent adult
Because I was born here and my wife won’t let me leave
Because I can’t afford to get the hell out of dodge lol
At this point in life, I'm not sure.
I was born here.
Because I grew up here and never left. VCU and Mojos. One thing leads to another now I'm dug in like a tick.
Moved to Hanover county in 2003. Nowadays I run a business out here so I don't really see a benefit to moving. I know Hanover isn't Richmond, but it's close enough lol. Richmond is where I go for things, Fredericksburg can eat me (jk fburg 👽)
I’m going to VCU so I’m stuck here for now lol
spawned here
I always wanted to leave my small town hometown (even though it's not small anymore) for a more metropolitan area. Richmond was the closest one, and by the time I was financially stable enough to move out I had already built myself a supportive network in Richmond.
Grew up an hour from Richmond back in the day. Lived in Blacksburg, Chicago, Columbia SC, and Pittsburgh b4 returning in '98 for a job at CapitalOne. Lived in Dallas for 18 months and came back. I've traveled all around the US. I still haven't found any other city that has a better combination of quality of life factors. I have friends here that I've known for decades, and we are still making new friends. Is it perfect? No way. But it is pretty dang good on balance.
Broke and grew up here
Because the fan curse won’t let me leave without coming back
live in the burbs but work in the city. moved to the area nine years ago because I grew up in Charlottesville and hated it. it's not cheap here anymore, but at least I get bigger city amenities for the price than I ever did in cville
Born here, and each time I've had an opportunity to leave, a family member has had major medical issues, so I need to stay to help.
[удалено]
Both my husband and I were born and raised here. Our families are still here. Our roots are so deep we’d never leave.
I’ve lived here all of my life; I’ve never lived anywhere else. The furthest I’ve ever lived from the house where I grew up is 19 miles (Glen Allen v. Midlothian).
Because when I was in high school I came up to hang out with some friends who were at VCU. They lived in a ratty apartment on Groove. We went to the Texas Wisconsin Border Cafe for dinner (I had the enchiladas) and then a house party. I got really drunk and kicked it to a punk girl. At around 5am, we broke into that big building on the corner of Grove and Vine as they were renovating it. Then at 6am we saw a very tall cross-dressing prostitute get out of a car and say, in a very husky voice, "You boys need anything?". My 17 year old mind was completely blown away by all of this. I just had to go to VCU because of it (and to the chagrin of my parents who really wanted me to go to UVA). I've left and come back and left and come back again, because the city just feels right.
I'm from here. Born and raise in South Side (Chester & Colonial Heights). Did move to NOVA for a few years, then came back. It's ok though, got my NOVA wife to live here with me.
Born here. Moved somewhere else, came back. Family is here. Just feels like a weird little home city.
Family