A City With A Reputation

Virginia Beach is the most desirable city in the country, according to a new report from Homebay.com.

The real estate website recently surveyed Americans about their feelings on the nation’s cities and states, and about what they feel makes for a great place to live. As one of the most mobile societies in the world—frequently moving for work or education or simply to find the lifestyle that we’re looking for—these are questions that Americans often begin asking themselves early in life. So how do they choose?

While 81% of respondents said they were happy with their city, 92% said they would consider moving to another one. The qualities that respondents cited as the most important when comparing cities were cost of living, quality of life, low crime rate, good weather, and natural beauty, in descending order.

It’s no surprise, then, that when asked to name their most desirable cities, Virginia Beach ended up at the very top of the list, ahead of places like San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami.

“Virginia Beach may not have the fame of other beach towns, such as Miami or San Diego, but with 35 miles of coastline, fascinating museums, and plenty of fresh food, it has many of the same great things to do for a fraction of the cost. In fact, Virginia Beach is the only city in the top five most desirable that has a regional price parity (96) below the national average (100).”

Unsurprisingly, the people surveyed also called Virginia Beach the most underrated city in the country.

“It’s possible to find a forever home in Virginia Beach, where the typical home value is $331,804 — 26% cheaper than the studied city average ($449,718). There are also plenty of job opportunities, with an unemployment rate (3.3%) that’s 11% lower than the studied city average (3.7%).”

Respondents’ impressions reflect those shared by a lot of researchers in recent years. They’ve found that the city can provide a great work-life balance, and that it’s one of the best cities for distance learning. It’s also got abundant outdoors opportunities.

For younger adults, it’s one of the best places to raise a family, and a big part of that is in how Virginia Beach is one of the best places for first-time home buyers. It also happens to be one of the best places for renters, as well as one of the best to find a job.

And if that wasn’t enough, Virginia Beach has even been called the best city in the country on numerous occasions.

The state of Virginia also fared well in the survey. Respondents called Virginia the 9th-most desirable state of the fifty.

Photo courtesy of:
Rain0975 / CC BY-ND 2.0