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Moving to
Midlothian.
Midlothian is an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County, VA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Midlothian
Midlothian is an unincorporated community in Virginia with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Midlothian deals with rent well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Midlothian compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Midlothian
Based on Midlothian's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,520
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,400 a year
- 56% of Midlothian renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$81,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $40,850
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 25% above US
$1,760/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,760 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $408,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $408,500 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Chesterfield County is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Chesterfield County (county-wide)
Safety
161 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Midlothian doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Chesterfield County Police Department jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 1157/100k · Policed by Chesterfield County Police Department (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.4 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°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▲ 61% above US
58% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
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 Maggie L Walker National Historic Site (12 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Midlothian's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,760/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Midlothian
All Virginia guides →Moving to Brandermill →
4 mi away · pop. 13,730
Rent $1,782/mo · Income $107,396
Compare with Midlothian →Moving to Tuckahoe →
8 mi away · pop. 49,183
Rent $1,536/mo · Income $102,264
Compare with Midlothian →Moving to Richmond →
10 mi away · pop. 229,359
Rent $1,372/mo · Income $64,587
Compare with Midlothian →Not sure Midlothian is the one?
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