Quality of Life

Return to Virginia Business - February 2001

Quality of Life

Metropolitan Area	Cost of Living Index*	Median Home Price**	Percentage Change Home Price (1998-99)**
Charlottesville	95	$128,100	14.6
Danville	99.2	$65,700	9.7
Lynchburg	106.5	$89,000	11.7
Norfolk. Virginia Beach, Newport News	99.4	$136,900	20.4
Northern Virginia	121.7¹	$184,400	5
Richmond/Petersburg	106.1	$130,700	1.9
Roanoke	95.5	$106,400	21.2

*Source: BestPlaces.net (The national average for the cost of living is 100.0)
**Source: Economy.com
¹This figure is for the Washington metro area

Metropolitan Area	FBI Crime Index (Rates per 100,000 population, 1998)*	Percentage Students Eligible for Free or Reduced Price Lunches**	Percentrage rate High School Graduates (1998-99)**
Charlottesville	3,663	25	82
Danville	3,060	44	76
Lynchburg	2,850	31	71
Norfolk. Virginia Beach, Newport News	4,912	38	68
Northern Virginia	not available	28	84
Richmond/Petersburg	5,118	33	75
Roanoke	3,573	28	75

*Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI crime index is based on uniform reporting figures for seven crimes: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, larceny, theft and motor vehicle theft. The rate for the entire state is 3,660

**Source: Virginia Department of Education
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