What it's like to live in Colonial Heights
Colonial Heights is a small city in Virginia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Colonial Heights deals with crime rates above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Colonial Heights compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Colonial Heights
Based on Colonial Heights's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,468
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $49,360 a year
- 51% of Colonial Heights renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,320
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,660
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 13% below US
$1,234/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,234 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $246,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $246,600 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 21% below US
3.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 27% above US
419 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 3602/100k · Colonial Heights Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 22% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Petersburg National Battlefield (7 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Colonial Heights's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,234/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and job seekers. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
See all the data for Colonial Heights →·All Virginia cities →
Other places near Colonial Heights
All Virginia guides →Moving to Petersburg →
4 mi away · pop. 33,537
Rent $1,174/mo · Income $50,698
Compare with Colonial Heights →Moving to Hopewell →
6 mi away · pop. 22,959
Rent $1,106/mo · Income $54,729
Compare with Colonial Heights →Moving to Chester →
7 mi away · pop. 24,474
Rent $1,603/mo · Income $95,104
Compare with Colonial Heights →Moving to Meadowbrook →
13 mi away · pop. 20,749
Rent $1,583/mo · Income $86,054
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