Moving to Virginia: City Guides, Checklist & Tips
Updated July 2026
Virginia's population passed 8.88 million in 2025, and net in-migration to the state has more than doubled since 2024, according to the Weldon Cooper Center — a reversal after several years of residents leaving faster than they arrived. Norfolk, this hub's first live city guide, shows why: a cost of living index of 91.4, about 8.6% below the national average, and a $315,000 median home price built around Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base, which alone accounts for roughly 67% of the city's economic output. Virginia Beach, 15 miles east and home to Naval Air Station Oceana, and Richmond, the state capital 90 minutes northwest, are both in the pipeline for their own guides. This hub collects our city-by-city relocation guides for Virginia, plus the practical steps to become a resident.
Virginia City Guides
Norfolk
Home to the world's largest naval base — a cost of living 8.6% below the national average with a genuinely walkable arts district in Ghent.
Read the Norfolk guide →Virginia Beach
A 3.5-mile Atlantic boardwalk city 15 miles east of Norfolk, anchored by Naval Air Station Oceana and a tourism-and-defense economy.
Guide coming soonRichmond
Virginia's capital on the James River — state government, finance, and a fast-growing job market about 90 minutes northwest of Norfolk.
Guide coming soon
Virginia Living and Vacationing Quick Reference
Living here
- State income tax
- Progressive, 2% to 5.75% across four brackets — the top rate begins at just $17,000 of taxable income
- Sales tax
- 5.3% statewide base (including a mandatory 1% local add-on), about 5.77% combined with local taxes on average
- Median home price
- About $409,000 statewide as of 2026 (Zillow) — $315,000 in Norfolk, well below Northern Virginia and D.C.
- Cost of living
- Norfolk runs a cost of living index of 91.4, about 8.6% below the national average
- Driver's license deadline
- 60 days after moving, with vehicle registration due within 30 days — two separate clocks
- Population
- About 8.88 million as of 2025, the 12th most populous state, with net in-migration more than doubling since 2024
Visiting first
- Main airport
- Norfolk International (ORF), about 15 minutes from downtown Norfolk
- Signature outdoors
- Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway inland; Atlantic beaches and the Chesapeake Bay along the coast
- Best scouting months
- March through May or September through November — mild temperatures outside peak summer humidity and hurricane season
- The flooding, honestly
- Norfolk ranks among the most flood-threatened cities in the country due to sea level rise and land subsidence — some low-lying blocks already see "sunny day flooding" at high tide, worth checking on FEMA maps before buying
- The military footprint
- Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana, Quantico, and the Pentagon make Virginia one of the most defense-dependent states in the country
- Getting around
- Virginia Beach sits 15 miles and about 30 minutes east of Norfolk; Richmond is roughly 90 minutes northwest via I-64
How Virginia Got Its Name
Virginia is named for Elizabeth I, England's "Virgin Queen," who never married and ruled in her own right. In 1584 she granted Sir Walter Raleigh a patent to explore and settle land in the New World, and Raleigh named the territory Virginia in her honor — his own attempts to colonize what is now North Carolina's Roanoke Island failed, but the name outlived the failure and attached itself to the successful Jamestown settlement in 1607. That naval identity runs straight through the state today: when the Navy wanted a base at Hampton Roads in 1917, it didn't have to clear land — it took over the 474-acre grounds of the 1907 Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition, a world's-fair site built to celebrate the 300th anniversary of that first Virginia colony, and turned it into what would grow into Naval Station Norfolk.
How to Become a Virginia Resident
Establishing residency unlocks a Virginia driver's license, vehicle registration, in-state tuition, and resident access to state parks and programs. You establish residency in Virginia by doing any one of the following — you don't need all of them:
- Renting or buying a home in Virginia
- Working for a Virginia employer
- Registering to vote in Virginia
- Operating a business located in Virginia
- Enrolling children in a Virginia primary or secondary school
Virginia Moving Checklist
- Transfer your driver's license and register your vehicle — deadlines in the quick reference above
- Register to vote at your new address
- Update your car insurance policy to meet Virginia requirements
- Transfer medical, dental, and school records, and enroll children in your new district
- Set up utilities and file your change of address with USPS
- Review the tax picture: Virginia has a progressive state income tax with a top rate that starts at a low income threshold
Questions Movers Ask About Virginia
Does Virginia have an income tax?
Yes — a progressive tax from 2% to 5.75% across four brackets, and the top rate begins at just $17,000 of taxable income, so most working residents pay close to the top rate. Sales tax adds a 5.3% statewide base, including a mandatory 1% local add-on, averaging about 5.77% combined with additional local taxes.
How expensive is it to live in Virginia?
It varies sharply by region. Norfolk, this hub's first live city, runs a cost of living index of 91.4 — about 8.6% below the national average — with a $315,000 median home price, well under Northern Virginia or Washington, D.C., where comparable homes can cost two to three times as much. The statewide median home value is about $409,000 as of 2026, per Zillow.
How long do I have to get a Virginia driver's license after moving?
60 days. The Virginia DMV requires new residents to get a Virginia driver's license within 60 days of moving, and to register any vehicle within 30 days of establishing residency.
Is Virginia a good state for military families?
Yes — Virginia holds one of the heaviest military footprints of any state. Naval Station Norfolk is the world's largest naval base, Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach is the Navy's East Coast Master Jet Base, Quantico anchors the Marine Corps and FBI in Northern Virginia, and the Pentagon itself sits just across the Potomac from D.C. Hampton Roads alone accounts for a large share of the state's defense-related economic output.
When should I visit Virginia before deciding to move?
March through May or September through November give you the state at its mildest — clear of the worst summer humidity on the coast and outside the peak of Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June through November.
Which Virginia city should I move to?
Norfolk is the only city on this hub with a live guide so far, and it pairs an 8.6%-below-average cost of living with Naval Station Norfolk and a walkable arts district in Ghent. Virginia Beach, 15 miles east, trades some of that affordability for Atlantic beaches and Naval Air Station Oceana. Richmond, the state capital, offers a bigger, more diversified job market in state government and finance. Guides for both are coming.
Moving to Virginia from Another State?
We compare the two states side by side — taxes, housing, and what changes on day one:
Sources and Data Notes
Residency options, license and vehicle-registration deadlines, and tax rates on this page reflect requirements published by the Virginia DMV and the Virginia Department of Taxation. Cost, housing, and job-market figures draw on the public datasets used across ScoutLocale's city guides, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BestPlaces.net, and Niche.com.
Comparing states? Browse moving guides for every state.