Best place to live between Richmond and Virginia Beach? (Chester: apartments, rental)

[dmallar]

I may be relocating to VA to work in Richmond. I want to know where the best place to raise a family is. I don't mind commuting to work if it's under 45-50 mins. My Fiance is in the spa industry and will be looking for work once there. She hates commuting. Where should we look?

[richmondpics]

If you are working in Richmond, is there any reason you prefer to live between Richmond and Virginia Beach? Williamsburg is nice, but it may take longer to get to your job (than you'd prefer) depending on where in the Richmond area your job location is.

[williamsburgfan]

price range? rent or buy? what type of community do you want? what area of richmond commuting to? Williamsburg/James City County is a nice area - 45 min or so to richmond - we are high cost of housing. beautiful, quiet area - so if you are looking for a lot of nightlife we'd need to know that

[dmallar]

I'll be renting for a little while. I hear crime is an issue in Richmond so I'm not sure if I would want to live there. I have a toddler so I want to be near good schools, private if necessary. We like night life but we have a small child so we don't get out as much as we used to. We pay 845 for rent now so I would would like to stay in that ball park.

[richmondpics]

Ahh.. it's a shame that perceptions of Richmond having crime issues casts a cloud over an overall safe region with a high quality of life that is prospering economically, culturally, etc etc. Most crime in the Richmond area is highly concentrated, and in most cases concentrated around public housing.

Anyways, if you decide that you'd give the Richmond area a closer look considering it is largely a safe place, here's some advice.

Chesterfield, Henrico, and Hanover Counties all have excellent school systems. Overall, they are all very safe. There are a few areas that aren't, but that's the same almost anywhere. There are also some excellent private schools as well. Here's a map that might help out:

http://www.grpva.com/Images/map-gr2.gif (broken link)
from the Greater Richmond Partnership

Anyways, there's nothing wrong with the Richmond area, and by living in the area as opposed to somewhere an hour away, you can have a MUCH shorter commute. Average commuting times in the area are somewhere in the ballpark of 22-23 minutes.

Good luck.

[kcrossley]

Originally Posted by williamsburgfan

we are high cost of housing. beautiful, quiet area

I hear this a lot, but when I compared the cost of homes in Chesterfield with those in JCC, I found that JCC homes were actually cheaper per square foot, than those in Chesterfield. Plus, property taxes are .77 per $100 in JCC and more than $1.00 per $100 in the Chesterfield area.

Are you referring to Williamsburg proper and upscale communities like Kingsmill, Fords Colony, and the likes?

[rskolin]

I would also recommend Henrico, Chesterfield or Hanover if you're going to work in Richmond. My last year of work in Richmond, I lived in the Short Pump area of Henrico. The schools are great and there are many services available (libraries, gyms, etc.) as well as shopping. Short Pump Town Center is awesome, and it's close to the Interstates. You can't go wrong with any of those three areas, although I believe Chesterfield is probably the least expensive for homes.

[jensen beach gal]

rskolin-I like the short pump area-was checking out a middle school there-pocahontas-are you familiar with it? Is the Short Pump area expensive. Looking for an affordable rental for my son and I, outside of Richmond, Thanks.

[richmondpics]

Near Short Pump can be expensive, so it depends on what you consider to be affordable. It's all relative. Also, the Midlothian area is maybe a 15 minute drive from Short Pump via Rt 288, and the schools are just as good.

[Tej147]

I'd pick New Kent.... you know, Providence Forge.... it's in the middle of HR and Rmond..... and we're building tons of new subdivisions.... BTW, i've lived in the apartments in Williamsburg...... they're the quality of 400-year old puke.... eeewwww..... :*