Richmond in comparison to Greensboro (Norfolk, Petersburg: neighborhoods, schools, income)

[RunD1987]

Good morning!

Currently living in Greensboro. Decent size city not to crowded pretty spread out. Suburbs are great with country vibe but not too rural able to drive anywhere and be somewhere if need of anything.

We would make at least $10,000 more a year in Virginia. Richmond fits the bill with a lot of healthcare opportunities.

Biggest question is how do you think primary and secondary education stacks up in Virginia?

Family friendly activities: Zoo/Beach proximity/Museums? Greensboro has access to few museums, children centers, zoo's, and aquarium.

Weather: Is it for the most part comparable?

Taxes who is more tsx friendly on income and retirement funds?

Are suburbs more rural or urban or mix?

How's the park system and greenways in the Richmond area?

Thanks!

Look forward to reading the responses

[Gamecock2001]

Good morning! We’ll for starters it’s a much larger city and offers a lot more to do than you’d be used to. The museums are top notch, lots of good children activities too. You'll find lots of great restaurants here as well (and breweries if that's your thing.) Not the best Zoo in the city, but Maymont is a great place to take the kids to see farm animals, and a bear, bison, deer, eagles, etc. Lots of outdoor space there and gardens. For aquariums it’s best to head east to Norfolk and VA Beach. You can make a nice day trip or weekend out of that. Same goes for DC if you’d like to check out everything the National Mall has to offer. The beaches are around 2 hours away, but you can extend that to 3-4 for some amazing spots in the Outer Banks.

The weather I would think would be nicer or basically the same. You'll get more of a fall/spring. We get a few snowfalls per year, though it could be just 1 dusting as well. Definitely get the 4 seasons. Though of course it can be a hot humid summer (been pretty nice this year though) but if you’re used to humidity it shouldn’t be a big deal.

If you are leaning towards the suburbs, you’ll find some great schools in the counties of Henrico or Chesterfield. The city is a different story, but from what you’ve said, it sounds like you’ll be in the counties for a suburb/rural feel. You’ll be 20-30 min from the activities I listed.

Not sure about the taxes, but I know the county folk say that it’s pretty favorable out there. Suburbs are rural – most of the denser urban living is contained in the city Proper. Short Pump is a mix of urban/rural.
Lastly – park systems are amazing! The James River Park System is a gem that spans all around the city of Richmond and offers hiking, biking, walking, river hanging, etc. The Virginia Capital Trail is a great greenway that stretches from Richmond To Williamsburg.

[poppydog]

I know this thread is a month old, but just felt compelled to correct some misinformation. Greensboro is actually larger than Richmond.

Greensboro city population: 291,303
Richmond city population: 226,622

Richmond metro (MSA): 1,291,900
Greensboro metro (MSA): 771,851
Greensboro metro (CSA): 1,689,151

As the OP, RunD1987, undoubtedly knows Greensboro is part of the Triad region of NC which is Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem. I'm not sure why the Census separates out Winston-Salem from Greensboro in the MSA data, so I included the CSA data too because those three cities are all part of one region just like Richmond and Petersburg.

Richmond weather wise is probably a smidge more hot-n-humid than Greensboro in the summer. Richmond has lower elevation. Winters are probably pretty similar. Greensboro gets a fair bit of snow and ice.

I think both cities are similar, but Richmond has more funky going on than Greensboro and is a little more discovered than Greensboro. Of course Richmond also is the state capital. There is also nothing like The Fan in Greensboro. I really like Richmond. I like Greensboro too, but if I had to pick between the two I think I'd go with Richmond.

[mpier015]

Greensboro and Richmond have those VA/NC population differences that are due to the different ways cities and counties are incorporated in the two states. For all intents and purposes, the cities are about the same size. Richmond will feel bigger due to a few different reasons. Richmond has 226,000 people in about 60 square miles. It takes Greensboro more than double that land area, 134 square miles, to achieve their population of 291,000. Annexation, cities in VA being independent of their counties etc. Richmond is also built in a much more walkable way. Richmond has 5 neighborhoods listed with a walkscore above 90. Greensboro doesn't have any, their most walkable neighborhood is Downtown at 87. The next closest is 77. But Greensboro is more multinodal so more spread out so the amenities are there, just further apart. Even still, the areas are more or less the same size at this point.

https://www.walkscore.com/VA/Richmond

https://www.walkscore.com/NC/Greensboro

[TheMarino]

Greensboro is one of the most boring "bigger" cities I've ever lived in. Richmond has far more to offer despite being technically smaller. The walkability is incredible.

[skeddy]

so many poor people in the Greensboro area.