Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Virginia

You heard many good things about Virginia and consider moving to Virginia sooner or later?

While Virginia can be a great place to live, there are still many things you should know before making your final decision in this regard.

Thus, you will find the pros and cons of living in Virginia in the following article so you will be better able to decide whether you still want to move to Virginia or rather want to spend your life in a different region instead.

Living in Virginia – Overview

Advantages of Living in Virginia

1. High income level in Virginia
2. Low unemployment rate in Virginia
3. Many big corporations to work for
4. Decently-qualified people often find solid jobs rather quickly
5. Virginia may attract many talented and motivated people
6. You may be able to build a solid business network in Virginia
7. People in Virginia may be able to save enough money for retirement
8. Long and warm summers are attractive to many people living in Virginia
9. Short winters allow you to feel like being on vacation all year long
10. Many natural habitats you can enjoy in Virginia
11. You can spend lots of time outdoors in nature
12. Many physical activities you can do in natural environments
13. You can use your time in a pretty productive manner
14. Decent air quality in many parts of Virginia
15. Virginia can be a great state to live a self-sufficient lifestyle
16. Living in Virginia may let you slow down your life
17. Virginia is not the most hectic state
18. You can learn a lot about yourself by moving to Virginia
19. Many nice recreational spaces in Virginia
20. You may not run into as many tourists as in many other regions
21. Enough space to hang out outdoors on your own
22. Traffic is not a big problem in most regions of Virginia
23. Decent road conditions in many parts of Virginia
24. You can get around by car in a pretty efficient manner
25. Easy to get to the big cities of Virginia
26. Decent education in the big cities of Virginia
27. You will find many interesting bars in the major cities
28. Solid supply of material goods in Virginia
29. Distances are often rather short in the urban parts of Virginia
30. Decent internet connection for most people living in Virginia
31. Virginia has a coastline
32. Many free things you can do in Virginia
33. Many nice day trips you can make in Virginia
34. Virginia may be a great place to raise your kids
35. You can teach your loved ones quite a lot about nature
36. Decent mix of city life and nature activities in Virginia
37. Virginia has become increasingly popular over the past decades
38. High levels of cultural diversity in the big cities of Virginia
39. You may be able to make many delicious culinary experiences in Virginia
40. Decent medical infrastructure in the big cities of Virginia
41. You can meet many helpful people in Virginia
42. Virginia is a rather tolerant state
43. You may be able to meet many genuine and honest people
44. Easy to socialize in many parts of Virginia
45. Virginia may be an interesting place to retire

High income level in Virginia

One advantage of living in Virginia is that you can make pretty good money from your job.

In fact, income levels are rather high and as long as you have solid education, you may be able to start a fancy career and may be able to make far more money than people moving to Arkansas or other states where income levels are usually much lower.

Low unemployment rate in Virginia

Since unemployment rates are rather low, you may also not have to worry about losing your job much since even in case you do, chances are you will find a new one rather quickly in many regions of Virginia.

Many big corporations to work for

As long as you move to the big cities of Virginia, you will also find many major corporations to work for and by getting a job in one of those renowned companies, you may be able to do good for your CV and may also be able to climb the corporate ladder rather quickly.

Decently-qualified people often find solid jobs rather quickly

When moving to Virginia, you can also be pretty sure to find a solid job rather quickly since there are many strong economic regions in this state and if you have decent education and valuable skills needed in the job market, you may even have almost freedom of choice whom you want to work for.

Virginia may attract many talented and motivated people

Since you can make pretty good money in the state of Virginia, many talented and ambitious people also consider moving to Virginia and you will therefore be able to hang out with many intelligent people which can benefit you quite a lot in the long run since you may learn quite a lot for your own professional and personal life by talking to those folks.

You may be able to build a solid business network in Virginia

Since you can meet many pretty smart people in Virginia, you may also be able to build a strong business network rather quickly which may help you succeed in the corporate world.

People in Virginia may be able to save enough money for retirement

Another upside to living in Virginia is that thanks to high income levels, you may not have to spend lots of money for basic things of daily life but may also be able to save and invest enough money for retirement so you may not have to worry about old-age poverty as much as many people in low-income regions.

Long and warm summers are attractive to many people living in Virginia

You can also experience pretty long, warm and humid summers in most parts of Virginia and this gives you the incentive of spending lots of time outdoors so you can get plenty of oxygen and your body and your brain may therefore work properly in the long run.

Short winters allow you to feel like being on vacation all year long

Not only summers are great in Virginia but also winters are rather short and through all this warm weather, you may feel like being on vacation all year long and this can be really great to relax and really enjoy your life in this region in general.

Many natural habitats you can enjoy in Virginia

Another benefit of living in Virginia is that you will also find more than enough places in nature where you can hang out with your loved ones and have a great time while you can still relax and reload your batteries for the stressful times that may be yet ahead of you.

You can spend lots of time outdoors in nature

Since there are many nice natural habitats in Virginia, this also gives you the incentive of spending lots of time outdoors and you can therefore explore many nice places while you will also exercise in a pretty natural manner.

Many physical activities you can do in natural environments

Since you can burn lots of calories through those physical nature activities, you may also stay fit and in shape without the need of going to the gym so you may have more time to spend on nicer things instead.

You can use your time in a pretty productive manner

Since you can go fishing, hunting or foraging for food in many regions of Virginia, you will also be able to spend your leisure in a pretty productive and efficient manner while you can still have quite a lot of fun at the same time.

Decent air quality in many parts of Virginia

Outside of the big cities, you will also find many natural habitats with pretty decent air quality and by spending lots of time in those places, you may be able to reduce your risk of suffering from serious pulmonary problems in the long run.

Virginia can be a great state to live a self-sufficient lifestyle

Since Virginia is a pretty warm state where you can grow veggies and fruits in a pretty efficient manner, it may also be a great place to live a self-sufficient lifestyle since you may be able to grow most things you need on your own without having to rely on classical stores anymore and may be able to become independent of society sooner or later.

Living in Virginia may let you slow down your life

Since you will be able to hang out in many natural habitats, you may also be able to really slow down your life in many parts of Virginia and in case you are currently stressed with your life in a different region and feel close to burnout, moving to the rural parts of Virginia may help you become more relaxed so you may be able and ready for a new start pretty quickly.

Virginia is not the most hectic state

You should also keep in mind that Virginia is a pretty relaxed state where you can meet many laid-back people and can just have a great time together while this might be harder in busier states where people often just care about their careers and neglect their social lives.

You can learn a lot about yourself by moving to Virginia

Since you can spend many hours alone in nature, you will also be able to spend parts of your life in a pretty quiet atmosphere and while you may think this is pretty boring, you will still learn a lot about yourself since you will often not get distracted by other people and can really focus on your own goals and plans for your life.

Many nice recreational spaces in Virginia

Not only will you be able to spend lots of time in beautiful nature but you will also find many nice parks and green spaces in the big cities of Virginia so you will have a rather easy time relaxing during lunch break or after work.

You may not run into as many tourists as in many other regions

Since Virginia may not be the most popular place for tourists, you may also not run into as many large groups of tourists on a regular basis and may not get distracted as much so you may have more time to focus on your own goals and ambitions in life.

Enough space to hang out outdoors on your own

You will also find many recreational spaces where you can hang out in public on your own during times you just don’t want to talk to others but rather want to be all by yourself so you can really focus on solutions for things that may really bother you right now.

Traffic is not a big problem in most regions of Virginia

Another advantage of moving to Virginia is that traffic jams are not a big problem in most regions of the state and you may therefore lose less time in traffic compared to people moving to Los Angeles or other regions where people get stuck in traffic during rush hour quite often.

Decent road conditions in many parts of Virginia

You will also find pretty decent road conditions in most regions of Virginia and this can be great in case you want to drive longer distances on a regular basis since it just provides you with more comfort and safety.

You can get around by car in a pretty efficient manner

In general, thanks to not many traffic jams and decent road conditions, many people in Virginia are also able to get around by car in a pretty efficient manner and will have a rather easy time visiting people in other parts of the state.

Easy to get to the big cities of Virginia

Another upside to moving to Virginia is that you will also have some big airports near the big cities of the state and this can be great for your loved ones living in other regions since they will have a rather easy time visiting you and having big airports nearby also enables you to travel the world.

Decent education in the big cities of Virginia

You will also find many decent schools and colleges in the big cities of Virginia and this means you can make sure that your kids get proper education so they will have good chances of finding a decent job later on.

You will find many interesting bars in the major cities

As long as you move to the major cities of Virginia, you will also find some really good bars and clubs where you can meet many interesting people and may also be able to party all night long.

Solid supply of material goods in Virginia

People moving to Virginia also don’t have to worry about running out of important material goods since overall public infrastructure is pretty decent and you will find most things you need pretty close to your home.

Distances are often rather short in the urban parts of Virginia

In general, if you move to one of the major cities of Virginia, distances are pretty short and you will not have to spend lots of time in your car but will rather find most things you need within walking distance so you may be able to live your life in a pretty efficient manner.

Decent internet connection for most people living in Virginia

Thanks to decent public infrastructure, most people in Virginia also have pretty decent internet connection and this is really important since it allows you to work from home in certain industries and also enables you to get lots of helpful information so you can stay up-to-date with what’s going on in the world right now.

Virginia has a coastline

People living in the east of Virginia also have the opportunity to relax at the beach or to go surfing on a regular basis while people moving to Idaho or other non-coastal regions will just not have the same opportunities in this regard.

Many free things you can do in Virginia

Since you can do so many nice things outdoors in nature, you may also not have to spend a fortune on leisure activities but will rather find many free and fun things to do.

Many nice day trips you can make in Virginia

Since there are some big cities in Virginia and also many nice nature reserves, you will also have the opportunity of making many nice day trips with your loved ones so even in case you may get bored at home sooner or later, you will still have many other exciting things to experience in different parts of the state.

Virginia may be a great place to raise your kids

Since Virginia is a rather safe state and you can do many nice things in natural habitats, you may also be able to make sure your kids will grow up in a rather peaceful atmosphere and can really enjoy their childhood in the best possible manner.

You can teach your loved ones quite a lot about nature

Living in Virginia can also be great since you can spend lots of time in nature and can also teach your kids quite a lot through those experiences so they will realize how fantastic our planet really is and that it is worth it to protect it as best as possible.

Decent mix of city life and nature activities in Virginia

Since you will have some big cities in Virginia while you will still have many nice natural habitats to hang out during your leisure, you will also be able to enjoy many amenities big cities have to offer while you will have more than enough opportunities to relax and stay balanced in the long run.

Virginia has become increasingly popular over the past decades

You should also know that Virginia has become increasingly popular over the past decades and many people from other states consider moving to Virginia and in case this happens, it may become an even more interesting place to live in since you may be able to experience even more different lifestyles.

High levels of cultural diversity in the big cities of Virginia

By moving to one of the big cities of Virginia, you may also be able to experience many different lifestyles and high levels of cultural diversity in general so you may become more tolerant and open to new things in the long run and may also be able to really grow in character.

You may be able to make many delicious culinary experiences in Virginia

Thanks to many different cultural influences in the major cities, you will also be able to try many delicious foods from all over the world which can not only be pretty interesting but can just increase your overall quality of life quite a lot.

Decent medical infrastructure in the big cities of Virginia

Another benefit of moving to Virginia is that you will also find many solid doctors and hospitals in the major cities and in case you suffer from a serious health condition, you can be pretty sure to get proper medical treatment fairly quickly.

You can meet many helpful people in Virginia

You should also know that many people in Virginia are pretty helpful and during your first weeks at your new home when everything looks unfamiliar, you may be glad to have people around you who will be willing to show you the city and help you out on various occasions.

Virginia is a rather tolerant state

Since most people in Virginia are pretty tolerant, you also don’t have to worry about your background and where you come from at all and can just have a great time with many other interesting people.

You may be able to meet many genuine and honest people

Since you can meet many honest people in Virginia, this can also be great since you will learn to rely on those people and will also be able to grow in character since you may be able to work on your weaknesses over time and may become a stronger person in the long run.

Easy to socialize in many parts of Virginia

Since you will be able to meet many friendly and open people in most parts of Virginia, you will also have a rather easy time making many new social connections and some of those people will become really good friends of yours in the long run.

Virginia may be an interesting place to retire

Since there are many nice things you can do in nature and overall quality of life can be pretty high in the big cities, Virginia may also be a solid place to retire if you love warm weather and also love spending time at the beach and other natural habitats.

Now that you know the reasons for moving to Virginia, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of living in Virginia in the following so you will get a more realistic picture of reality and will be better able to decide for yourself whether you want to spend your life in Virginia or rather want to move to Illinois or other interesting places instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Virginia

1. Housing shortage is a serious problem in the major cities of Virginia
2. Rents in Virginia are often pretty high
3. Property prices in many parts of Virginia have skyrocketed over the past decades
4. Some people have a hard time finding a place to stay after moving to Virginia
5. Living costs in Virginia are above national average
6. Significant financial pressure for people living in Virginia
7. You may have to make pretty good money to afford a decent lifestyle in many parts of Virginia
8. People in Virginia often have to work many extra hours to be able to pay their bills
9. Likelihood of natural disasters is about to increase due to climate change
10. Homeowners insurance will become increasingly expensive in the future
11. Nightlife in many rural parts of Virginia is not great
12. Poor public transport in most regions of Virginia
13. You will not find many really big metropolitan regions in Virginia
14. You may miss fancy shopping options in many rural parts of the state
15. You may have to drive long distances to find good doctors in the rural regions of Virginia
16. Some remote rural regions are hard to reach
17. Limited number of entertainment options outside of the big cities
18. People living in rural regions often get stuck at home if they can’t drive a car
19. Virginia may not be the most exciting state for young people
20. You may get fed up with the Virginia way of life sooner or later
21. Virginia is not a really large state
22. Virginia may not be the most popular place to live yet
23. You may miss decent museums in the rural parts of Virginia
24. You may not find many really great sports teams in the rural parts of Virginia
25. You may miss high levels of cultural diversity in smaller villages
26. Hard to find many international tourists in Virginia
27. Virginia may already be overrated

Housing shortage is a serious problem in the major cities of Virginia

One problem with moving to Virginia is that housing shortage has become a serious problem in many major cities over the recent past and if this trend continues, many people may have real trouble finding a suitable place to stay at an affordable price in those regions.

Rents in Virginia are often pretty high

You should also know that rents can be pretty expensive in the major cities of Virginia and in case you don’t have a solid budget, you may just not be able to rent a nice home and may rather end up in a pretty dodgy district.

Property prices in many parts of Virginia have skyrocketed over the past decades

Not only rents are pretty high but also property prices in Virginia have increased quite a lot over the past decade and you may therefore have to spend far more money on your dream home in Virginia compared to people moving to Mississippi or other cheaper regions.

Some people have a hard time finding a place to stay after moving to Virginia

Due to housing shortage, you may also have to search for quite a long time to find a decent place to stay in the popular parts of Virginia and you may also have to spend lots of money on realtor services and time in this regard.

Living costs in Virginia are above national average

Another downside to moving to Virginia is that living costs are above the US average and may continue to increase in the future so many people may struggle to pay their bills in the future and may become increasingly desperate in the long run.

Significant financial pressure for people living in Virginia

Since many things in Virginia are pretty costly, you may also have to deal with significant financial pressure and if you can handle those things well, chances are you will often have to worry quite a lot and this may translate into serious mental problems sooner or later.

You may have to make pretty good money to afford a decent lifestyle in many parts of Virginia

Due to rather high living and housing costs, you may also have to make pretty good money from your job to be able to afford a decent lifestyle and many people in this region are no longer able to live the classic American dream anymore.

People in Virginia often have to work many extra hours to be able to pay their bills

Since people often have to worry about money, they also often have to work many extra hours or second jobs to make a living in this region and this may become really annoying and exhausting in the long run since you may just not have enough time for your loved ones.

Likelihood of natural disasters is about to increase due to climate change

Another disadvantage of moving to Virginia is that natural disasters may become more common in the future and this also increases the risk of you getting hit by one of those extreme events that may take everything you have ever worked for away from you.

Homeowners insurance will become increasingly expensive in the future

Since natural disasters will likely become more common, also the cost of homeowners insurance for people living in Virginia is about to increase quite a lot which will make living in this state even more expensive.

Nightlife in many rural parts of Virginia is not great

Another downside to living in Virginia is that nightlife is not really great outside of the major cities and you may therefore just not find as many nice bars and clubs as you may have hoped for.

Poor public transport in most regions of Virginia

You should also not forget that public transport is also rather poor in many regions of Virginia and you may not be able to rely on buses or trains to get to important meetings in most cases.

You will not find many really big metropolitan regions in Virginia

While there are some reasonably big cities, you will just not find really big metropolitan regions in Virginia and you may therefore not be able to enjoy real big city life you may be used to from Chicago or other much bigger cities.

You may miss fancy shopping options in many rural parts of the state

While you may find some decent shopping malls and boutiques in the biggest cities of Virginia, you may still not find really great shopping opportunities in the rural parts of the state which may make it hard for you to follow latest fashion trends.

You may have to drive long distances to find good doctors in the rural regions of Virginia

If you want to move to one of the rather remote regions of Virginia, you may also have a hard time finding good doctors and hospitals near your home and you may therefore have to drive long distances to find medical support which may be problematic in case you need medical treatment rather quickly.

Some remote rural regions are hard to reach

While the big cities of Virginia are often well-connected to the world since you can use big airports to get to those places, this is no longer true for smaller towns or villages that are often pretty hard to reach and it may therefore take you quite a long time to visit your friends in some of those remote regions.

Limited number of entertainment options outside of the big cities

Another problem with living in Virginia is that even though you will find many nice things to do in the urban parts of the state, you may still not find many things to do in the rural regions in case you don’t love nature and don’t want to spend lots of time outdoors as well.

People living in rural regions often get stuck at home if they can’t drive a car

Since public transport is not great in many parts of Virginia, people who are no longer able to drive may also just not be mobile enough to get around in an efficient manner and may rather get stuck at home which may greatly lower their overall quality of life in the long run.

Virginia may not be the most exciting state for young people

Since there are not many really exciting things to do outside of the big cities, you may also not get happy with your life in Virginia in case you are still young and really want to explore yourself since you may just not find enough opportunities in this regard.

You may get fed up with the Virginia way of life sooner or later

If you don’t like nature and are not keen on living a rather quiet life, you may also not get happy with living in many rural parts of the state and may be better off moving to Denver or other bigger metropolitan regions instead.

Virginia is not a really large state

Since Virginia is not a really large state, you may also find fewer things to do compared to people living in bigger states where they may have more opportunities to do great things of many sorts.

Virginia may not be the most popular place to live yet

While Virginia has become increasingly popular over the past decades, it is still not the most popular place to live yet and some of your loved ones may just not understand why you want to move to Virginia and may try to convince you not to do it.

You may miss decent museums in the rural parts of Virginia

Another disadvantage of living in Virginia is that you will also have a rather hard time finding many good museums in most regions and you may therefore not find as many great pieces of art as you may have hoped for.

You may not find many really great sports teams in the rural parts of Virginia

Also in case you are a sports fan and want to watch many games at the highest level, you may have trouble doing so in many rural regions of Virginia where you may just not find as many great sports teams as you may have wished for.

You may miss high levels of cultural diversity in smaller villages

While you will find many different cultural influences in the big cities, you may still miss high levels of cultural diversity in the smaller towns and villages where many people are often still pretty conservative and traditional.

Hard to find many international tourists in Virginia

Virginia is also not the most popular state among international tourists and you may therefore not be able to have as many interesting conversations as people moving to Washington D.C. or other regions that are flooded by tourists on a regular basis.

Virginia may already be overrated

Since most things have become pretty expensive, Virginia may also be considered an overrated state and you may find other states where you may be able to enjoy similar quality of life at a much lower price tag.

Top 10 Moving to Virginia Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Virginia a Good Place to Live?

While moving to Virginia can make sense due to high income levels, low unemployment and crime rates and since you can spend lots of time in beautiful nature, you should still know that natural disasters will likely become more common and housing and living costs are pretty high in many parts of Virginia.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of living in Virginia on your own so you can make a profound decision regarding whether you still want to move to Virginia or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Most Popular Cities to Live in Virginia – Comparison

Alternative States to Live

If you no longer want to move to Virginia, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Vermont

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Tennessee

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Texas

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/VA

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.