These Are The 10 Most Successful Cities In Virginia

Top 10 Most Successful Cities in Virginia for 2026

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Defining success can be a complex endeavor. Is it simply the balance in your bank account, the satisfaction of delivering a remarkable presentation, or perhaps the joy of sharing a good laugh with friends?

Success might encompass all of these aspects and yet something more profound—something that is inherently subjective and difficult to quantify.

At Zippia, we prefer to focus on measurable criteria. Utilizing data and analytics, we have identified the ten most successful cities in Virginia for 2026. Here’s our updated list:

Disagree with our findings? Let’s delve into the methodology behind our rankings.

For more insights into Virginia, check out:

How We Determined the Most Successful Cities in Virginia

When it comes to measuring success, financial metrics often take center stage. Wealth is typically associated with achievement, but we believe that success is multifaceted. For our analysis, we considered key criteria from recent census data and economic indicators.

1. Vienna

Source: Flickr

Population: 16,173
Median Income: $133,776
Poverty Level: 3.2%
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

2. Purcellville

Population: 8,350
Median Income: $120,331
Poverty Level: 4.5%
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

3. Falls Church

Population: 13,074
Median Income: $120,500
Poverty Level: 4.1%
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

4. Leesburg

Population: 46,211
Median Income: $101,719
Poverty Level: 4.8%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

5. Herndon

Population: 24,141
Median Income: $100,399
Poverty Level: 7.2%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

6. Poquoson

Population: 12,103
Median Income: $83,460
Poverty Level: 6.0%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

7. Bridgewater

Population: 5,812
Median Income: $54,188
Poverty Level: 8.0%
Unemployment Rate: 2.9%

8. Manassas Park

Population: 14,992
Median Income: $73,460
Poverty Level: 8.2%
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%

9. Alexandria

Population: 146,422
Median Income: $87,319
Poverty Level: 7.7%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

10. Fairfax

Population: 23,507
Median Income: $100,584
Poverty Level: 9.4%
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%

Measuring Success

While some may contend that numerical metrics fall short in capturing the essence of a city’s or individual’s success, we find value in this quantitative approach. Congratulations to Vienna and all our top cities. For those not on the list, there’s always next year to strive for success.

Detailed List of the Most Successful Cities in Virginia

Rank	City	Median Income	Poverty Rate	Unemployment Rate
1	Vienna	$133,776	3.2%	3.6%
2	Purcellville	$120,331	4.5%	3.6%
3	Falls Church	$120,500	4.1%	5.0%
4	Leesburg	$101,719	4.8%	4.7%
5	Herndon	$100,399	7.2%	4.7%
6	Poquoson	$83,460	6.0%	4.7%
7	Bridgewater	$54,188	8.0%	2.9%
8	Manassas Park	$73,460	8.2%	3.7%
9	Alexandria	$87,319	7.7%	4.7%
10	Fairfax	$100,584	9.4%	5.5%
11	Warrenton	$73,062	8.0%	5.5%
12	Christiansburg	$51,508	11.6%	3.6%
13	Virginia Beach	$67,001	7.2%	6.2%
14	Chesapeake	$70,176	8.0%	7.6%
15	Strasburg	$45,975	11.5%	5.0%
16	Manassas	$71,215	10.1%	8.0%
17	Salem	$50,590	12.4%	5.9%
18	Colonial Heights	$52,529	9.5%	7.2%
19	Suffolk	$66,822	8.9%	8.9%
20	Smithfield	$68,807	10.4%	10.1%
21	Culpeper	$54,791	14.7%	7.2%
22	Vinton	$43,623	13.2%	6.5%
23	Charlottesville	$47,218	31.4%	5.0%
24	Ashland	$41,582	14.4%	6.5%
25	Covington	$38,176	23.1%	5.1%
26	Staunton	$39,982	17.3%	6.4%
27	Winchester	$44,731	16.7%	7.2%
28	Dumfries	$57,111	9.3%	14.1%
29	Newport News	$51,000	13.4%	9.6%
30	Williamsburg	$48,057	24.9%	6.2%
31	Lexington	$36,840	26.8%	5.1%
32	Front Royal	$46,609	13.7%	9.4%
33	Hampton	$49,879	13.6%	10.5%
34	Waynesboro	$45,499	19.4%	7.8%
35	Woodstock	$35,508	26.7%	5.5%
36	Portsmouth	$46,239	15.4%	10.5%
37	Roanoke	$39,530	20.5%	8.0%
38	Fredericksburg	$49,454	19.9%	10.4%
39	Abingdon	$38,529	20.1%	8.0%
40	Harrisonburg	$38,807	38.2%	6.8%
41	Bluefield	$42,472	13.7%	11.9%
42	Richlands	$34,781	19.0%	8.1%
43	Pulaski	$36,057	24.8%	7.5%
44	Buena Vista	$32,789	22.4%	7.8%
45	Norfolk	$44,150	18.6%	11.6%
46	Galax	$30,430	22.3%	8.2%
47	Hopewell	$39,156	16.4%	13.7%
48	Big Stone Gap	$37,165	26.0%	8.8%
49	Richmond	$41,331	23.5%	10.7%
50	Lynchburg	$39,391	25.5%	9.6%
51	Marion	$29,900	22.8%	8.2%
52	Bristol	$33,616	17.9%	11.0%
53	Wytheville	$32,637	21.0%	11.3%
54	Blacksburg	$29,271	52.9%	8.8%
55	Radford	$30,284	47.6%	9.4%
56	Franklin	$33,133	24.4%	14.0%
57	Petersburg	$33,927	24.3%	15.1%
58	Danville	$32,173	24.3%	14.7%
59	South Boston	$30,764	30.2%	12.4%
60	Farmville	$28,667	39.7%	10.6%
61	Martinsville	$27,746	25.7%	14.2%
62	Emporia	$30,240	30.0%	17.2%

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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