What it's like to live in Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg is a small city in Virginia with unemployment below the national average, a highly educated workforce, a growing population, 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. Fredericksburg deals with home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Fredericksburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fredericksburg
Based on Fredericksburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,238
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,760 a year
- 47% of Fredericksburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$96,740
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,370
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 15% above US
$1,619/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,619 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $483,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $483,700 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 23% above US
405 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 2507/100k · Fredericksburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.9 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 28% above US
46% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 46% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park (1 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fredericksburg's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,619/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Fredericksburg
All Virginia guides →Moving to Triangle →
19 mi away · pop. 10,450
Rent $1,554/mo · Income $109,693
Compare with Fredericksburg →Moving to Cherry Hill →
22 mi away · pop. 26,044
Rent $1,931/mo · Income $122,447
Compare with Fredericksburg →Moving to Montclair →
23 mi away · pop. 22,387
Rent $2,366/mo · Income $155,774
Compare with Fredericksburg →Not sure Fredericksburg is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.