Community Information

Richmond | Henrico County | Chesterfield County | Hanover County

Richmond Facts and Information

Population 193,000 (2002); 186,000 (projected 2010)
Real estate tax assessment is $1.43 per $100 assessed
Enjoys it own symphony, opera, and ballet companies
Numerous parks including Maymont, the only fully-intact Victorian estate in America (105 aces), Bryan Park (200 acres), and James River Park (480 acres)
Only major urban whitewater in the world (Class IV)

Richmond City homes changed in value at a rate of 9.00% in 2005.

Nothing defines the City of Richmond better than its neighborhoods. Its neighborhoods document not only architectural points in time, but developing urban lifestyles associated with that age as well. You can start with Church Hill, where antebellum homes overlook Richmond's waterfront and mercantile warehouses, to mark the city's birth as a center of commerce. Travel on to the Fan, where turn-of-the-century townhouses reveal Richmond's emergence as a manufacturing and financial center. See examples of early suburbia in Windsor Farms and Ginter Park, as tobacco moguls developed at the once outlying areas made accessible by streetcars. Discover the post-war boom in Stratford Hills and Oxford, as automobiles and bridges opened up new areas south of the James River. And there are so many more neighborhoods with a history and personality all their own. If variety is the spice of life, then Richmond's neighborhoods are a smorgasbord.

The City's retail offerings are much like their housing counterparts.The major retailers who once defined Downtown have given way to countless specialty shops and boutiques which offer more selective wares and personal service. While several shopping districts, such as Carytown and Stratford Hills, exist for staple shopping, other specific services and needs require 'destination shopping' nearby in the immediate suburbs of the City.

While the City of Richmond provides sidewalks, streetlights, trash and leaf removal to its residents, these services come at a cost. The city has the highest real estate tax and meal tax of any municipality in the area. In addition, although the City has the area's highest expenditure per student in public education, its schools rank measurably below its suburban counterparts. If public education is not a high priority on your 'need' list, then the City of Richmond offers unparalleled convenience to Greater Richmond's venues.

Henrico County Facts and Information

Population 271,700 (2002); 277,000 (projected 2010)
Unemployment rate 3.4 %
Real estate tax assessment is $0.94 per $100 assessed
County has AAA bond rating
Award winning schools
Superior highway system
Site of Richmond International Airport
Site of Richmond International Speedway and its 2 annual NASCAR events
16 county parks including Meadow Farm, a National Register 1850's farm

Henrico County homes changed in value at a rate of 11% in 2005 vs. 14% in 2004.

Of all the municipalities in the Greater Richmond area, Henrico County is undoubtedly the best managed and governed. Much of this success can be attributed to its geographic shape, highway systems, and sound land-use management. Shaped like a butterfly, Henrico County wraps around the City of Richmond on the north side of the James River. In its east wing, the County is zoned predominantly agricultural, manufacturing, and industrial. Richmond International Airport, White Oak semiconductor plant, most of the County's 30 business and industrial parks, plus the largest farms in the County are found there. The west wing of Henrico is primarily residential, dotted with the majority of the County's 30 plus office parks and concentrated retail areas.

Henrico is dissected by interstates I-64 and I-95 and benefits from the I-295 exterior loop, which connects with I-64 at both ends of the County. This interstate system is augmented by a superior system of intermediate arteries, which makes travel throughout Henrico easy and sufficiently decreasing the commute time for Henrico residents.

Henrico's public school system is outstanding. New facilities are added in advance of need, allowing Henrico to maintain the lowest teacher/pupil ratio in the area. Nearly 50% of the school system's teachers have earned master degrees, and the average classroom experience of its teachers is in excess of 13 years.

Due to Henrico's obvious advantages, residential real estate in Henrico is expensive in comparison to other areas in Greater Richmond. Since most of Henrico's residential area is concentrated in its western part, lot sizes tend to be smaller. With smaller lots, the majority of the housing is two-story in order to maximize its square footage.

Henrico maintains an excellent system of parks complete with playgrounds, tennis courts, ball diamonds, basketball courts, and swimming pools. Organized team sports are offered for all ages and for all seasons. Many residential developments and neighborhoods also provide similar private facilities and activities.

Due to Henrico's close proximity to the City of Richmond and major interstate highways, its status as Greater Richmond's best suburb is undisputed.

Chesterfield County Facts and Information

Population 270,700 (2002); 317,000 (projected 2010)
Highest household income in the area $58,537 (1999)
Real estate tax assessment is $1.09 per hundred assessed
Award winning schools
24 + county parks of 2,422 acres
Pocahontas State Park (7,600 acres)
Site of Henricus, 2nd permanent settlement in U.S. (1611)
County bond rating is 'Triple-Triple A'

Chesterfield County homes changed in value at a rate of 19% in 2005 vs. 6.3% in 2004.

Bounded by the James River on the north and the Appomattox River on the south, Chesterfield County is a suburban paradise ' affordable housing, fantastic schools, and wonderful shopping. Chesterfield's evolution from an agricultural county to suburbia has been rapid. In 1970, the county population was slightly more than 75,000 in stark contrast with its present population of 270,700; the population projection for 2010 is 317,000.

Other than occasional traffic congestion, Chesterfield is an ideal location, especially if one's work and orientation is to areas south of the James River. Due to Chesterfield's geographic size, housing tends to be situated on larger lots, with lot prices having less cost. Due to lower initial land costs, housing in Chesterfield frequently has more gross living area (square footage) than comparable property in Richmond's other major suburban county, Henrico. Since Chesterfield continues to grow, appreciation on real estate is often slower, due to existing properties having to continually compete with construction of newer homes.

Chesterfield County's relative affluence creates a shopping extravaganza for its residents and also Greater Richmond. New national retailers and service providers are attracted to Chesterfield due to its high household income and growing population. Its major thoroughfares (U.S. 1, Routes 10, 60 and 360) are dotted with countless strip centers and several major malls, while a regional mall, Southpark, is situated just off I-95 at Colonial Heights near the County's southern border.

Chesterfield's public schools are among the area's best. With the largest student population (over 53,000) in the area, Chesterfield County's school system is also the single largest employer in the County. Education is business in Chesterfield and good business at that. 71% of the school division's 386 million dollar budget is devoted solely to instruction, while only 4% is spent on administration. With such fiscal acuity, it is easy to understand why Chesterfield's schools have won numerous state and national awards.

With so many advantages, you can understand why Chesterfield is one of the premiere areas in Greater Richmond.

Hanover County Facts and Information

Population 91,000 (2002); 106,000 (projected 2010)
Unemployment rate is 2.8 %
Real estate tax assessment is $0.83 per $100 assessed
County's bond rating AA
Top notch public schools
Excellent highway system
Site of Paramount's King's Dominion amusement park
Home of Patrick Henry, Virginia's 1st Governor
Home to Randolph-Macon, a Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college founded in 1830

Hanover County homes changed in value at a rate of 24% in 2005 vs. -5.2% in 2004.

Nothing illustrates the nature of Hanover County better than its landmark crop, the tomato. For centuries, this rural agrarian county has been the breadbasket for Greater Richmond, but in recent decades Hanover has begun to experience rapid, but controlled, growth. This growth has been confined to several principal corridors within the County, allowing Hanover to maintain an overall rural flavor. Hanover still recognizes its agrarian roots with its annual Tomato Festival, in fact, the annual football game between its east-west high schools is called the Tomato Bowl. When summer arrives and these red beauties hit the area supermarkets and roadside vegetable stands, you'll never want Hanover to change.

But change is inevitable and Hanover's land-use plan is commendable. By concentrating its growth in the Mechanicsville area and the I-95 corridor towards Ashland, Hanover retains vast tracts of Virginia's noted Piedmont. Movement within the County is relatively easy since I-95 bisects Hanover from north to south, while I-295 traverses its southern section. Major arteries such as U.S. 1 and Routes 33, 301, and 360, which are have interchanges off I-295, provide excellent access throughout the County.

Hanover has a slower pace than other areas of Greater Richmond, primarily due to its rural roots. Hanover's retail areas are in its concentrated corridors of growth, but within a few miles of these areas the landscape quickly gives way to incredibly beautiful countryside. This is not to say that retail services are lacking in Hanover. Besides a major regional mall, Virginia Center Commons, located off I-95, Hanover has numerous shopping centers and retail corridors to meet every need.

Hanover's government, and the services it provides, is remarkable. There are only 23 counties nationally with a higher bond rating than Hanover. This is noteworthy considering that the smallest of these 23 higher ranked counties has a population of 170,000 ' twice the population of Hanover.

Hanover devotes over 50 % of its annual budget to its public schools. While Hanover Schools once ranked slightly lower than its Chesterfield and Henrico counterparts, Hanover's test scores now surpass their larger neighboring school systems in many categories. Hanover offers a broad array of housing options. In its concentrated areas, building styles are not unlike Chesterfield and Henrico, but available acreage creates many other options such as historic homes, farmettes, rural retreats, and country manors. All of this is atop the picturesque and rolling landscape of Hanover County.

Hanover is a little bit country and a little bit suburban, creating a wonderful lifestyle choice.