The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Virginia
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 121 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Virginia. #1 is Chamberlayne, VA.
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25Hillsville, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 77% of Virginia towns
2,884 people · Carroll County · median home $159,000 · income $58,000 · Jan low 23°F · 15 in snow
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24Berryville, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 78% of Virginia towns
4,574 people · Clarke County · median home $550,500 · income $102,788 · Jan low 22°F · 22 in snow
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23Richlands, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 79% of Virginia towns
5,261 people · Tazewell County · median home $111,000 · income $37,154 · Jan low 23°F · 18 in snow
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22Loch Lomond, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 82% of Virginia towns
4,050 people · Prince William County · median home $442,300 · income $113,790 · Jan low 25°F · 19 in snow
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21Pantops, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 82% of Virginia towns
4,682 people · Albemarle County · median home $522,900 · income $127,552 · Jan low 26°F · 16 in snow
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20Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 82% of Virginia towns
5,610 people · Spotsylvania County · median home $395,700 · income $95,331 · Jan low 25°F · 11 in snow
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19Potomac Mills, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 83% of Virginia towns
6,332 people · Prince William County · median home $582,700 · income $104,545 · Jan low 28°F · 14 in snow
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18Fair Lakes, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 84% of Virginia towns
8,404 people · Fairfax County · median home $588,200 · income $127,332 · Jan low 23°F · 19 in snow
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17Matoaca, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 86% of Virginia towns
2,655 people · Chesterfield County · median home $251,000 · income $70,174 · Jan low 28°F · 7 in snow
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16Timberville, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 89% of Virginia towns
2,963 people · Rockingham County · median home $231,000 · income $59,909 · Jan low 23°F · 20 in snow
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15Dumfries, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 89% of Virginia towns
5,679 people · Prince William County · median home $331,800 · income $82,355 · Jan low 28°F · 12 in snow
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14Bellwood, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 90% of Virginia towns
7,678 people · Chesterfield County · median home $225,300 · income $47,781 · Jan low 29°F · 8 in snow
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13Rockwood, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 90% of Virginia towns
8,685 people · Chesterfield County · median home $354,400 · income $97,992 · Jan low 29°F · 9 in snow
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12Windsor, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 93% of Virginia towns
2,746 people · Isle of Wight County · median home $280,800 · income $68,661 · Jan low 29°F · 4 in snow
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11Hutchison, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 93% of Virginia towns
6,231 people · Fairfax County · median home $476,900 · income $105,651 · Jan low 25°F · 21 in snow
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10Norton, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 95% of Virginia towns
3,687 people · Norton city · median home $110,000 · income $41,495 · Jan low 25°F · 47 in snow
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9Ettrick, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 95% of Virginia towns
7,241 people · Chesterfield County · median home $211,200 · income $58,137 · Jan low 28°F · 4 in snow
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8Montrose, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 95% of Virginia towns
7,909 people · Henrico County · median home $194,100 · income $49,550 · Jan low 29°F · 9 in snow
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7Dumbarton, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 95% of Virginia towns
8,506 people · Henrico County · median home $291,300 · income $60,169 · Jan low 28°F · 12 in snow
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6Bensley, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 97% of Virginia towns
5,971 people · Chesterfield County · median home $218,500 · income $50,547 · Jan low 29°F · 9 in snow
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5Vinton, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 97% of Virginia towns
8,059 people · Roanoke County · median home $190,900 · income $65,445 · Jan low 29°F · 15 in snow
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4Enon, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 98% of Virginia towns
4,075 people · Chesterfield County · median home $253,600 · income $76,341 · Jan low 31°F · 4 in snow
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3Falmouth, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 98% of Virginia towns
4,956 people · Stafford County · median home $438,200 · income $111,977 · Jan low 25°F · 11 in snow
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2Altavista, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 99% of Virginia towns
3,378 people · Campbell County · median home $142,900 · income $51,349 · Jan low 26°F · 9 in snow
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1Chamberlayne, Virginia
Better for first-time buyers than 99% of Virginia towns
5,581 people · Henrico County · median home $351,100 · income $97,544 · Jan low 28°F · 12 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Virginia rankings
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Virginia
- The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Virginia
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Virginia
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Virginia
- 25 Small Towns in Virginia With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in Virginia With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Virginia
- 25 Small Towns in Virginia With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 13 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Virginia
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Michigan
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Florida
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Wisconsin
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Ohio
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)