What it's like to live in Petersburg
Petersburg is a small city in Virginia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, 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. Petersburg deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High poverty rate
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Petersburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Petersburg
Based on Petersburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,348
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $46,960 a year
- 49% of Petersburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$37,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,900
- 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▼ 17% below US
$1,174/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,174 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $189,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $189,000 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 16% above US
5.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 175% above US
906 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2937/100k · Petersburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.7 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; 10% 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
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 29% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 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 Petersburg National Battlefield (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Petersburg's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,174/mo) equals 28% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Petersburg
All Virginia guides →Moving to Colonial Heights →
4 mi away · pop. 18,352
Rent $1,234/mo · Income $76,505
Compare with Petersburg →Moving to Meadowbrook →
17 mi away · pop. 20,749
Rent $1,583/mo · Income $86,054
Compare with Petersburg →Not sure Petersburg is the one?
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