Richmond ranks 28th out of 100 as a great city to live, according to a U.S. News & World Report survey.
“The only city in America with whitewater rapids running through its downtown district,” Richmond scores well (7.3 out of 10) for value, according to the magazine.
It does fairly well in net migration and the job market (6.8) but less so (5.9) for “desirability.”
Some 7 million tourists pass through, attracted by its history spanning from colonial times and through the Civil War to today.
It’s a strong financial center with Capital One Financial and SunTrust Banks. Its suburbs attract a “varied demographic” of young and old. Plus, it’s a lively college town with Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Union University and the University of Richmond.
U.S. News didn’t quite note the continued growth of the area’s dining and art scenes, but it’s nowhere close to Raleigh-Durham, to which it’s often compared. Other top cities are Denver and Austin, ‘natch.