The Town Files

University of Virginia, Virginia

Community in Albemarle County · population 7,909 (2020 Census)

Map: where University of Virginia is in VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
Median home
$442,600
Household income
$52,546
Jan low / Jul high
28° / 87°
Snow a year
17 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
19.6

University of Virginia is a community of 7,909 people in Albemarle County, Virginia. The median home is worth $442,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks hipper than 100% of Virginia towns, more walkable than 98% of Virginia towns, more vibrant than 98% of Virginia towns.

University of Virginia in our rankings:

How University of Virginia ranks

Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.

University of Virginia lifestyle rankings vs other Virginia townsRetirement1st pctFamiliesbottomQuiet4th pctWalkability98th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals97th pctVibrancy98th pctHip & trendy100th pctCollege town98th pctUpscale58th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling86th pctTransit90th pctDrivingbottomtypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in University of Virginia is worth $442,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 8.4 times the median household income of $52,546, which is more affordable than 0% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,421 a month. 15.9% of households own their home.

University of Virginia vs Albemarle County vs typical Virginia townUniversity of VirginiaAlbemarle CountyTypical Virginia townHome value$442,600$495,400$298,050Household income$52,546$104,392$78,595Monthly rent$1,421$1,692$1,254
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Virginia towns with 500+ people.
HousingUniversity of VirginiaTypical Virginia town
Median home value$442,600$298,050
Median rent$1,421$1,254
Median household income$52,546$78,595
Home value ÷ income8.4×3.8×
Homeownership15.9%69.2%
Median year built19791980
Seasonal / vacation homes2.5%—

Who lives in University of Virginia

PeopleUniversity of VirginiaTypical Virginia town
Median age19.639.8
Age 65 and over2.5%17.3%
Under 184.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher66.7%31.2%
Below the poverty line23.8%8.8%
Veterans1.0%—
Born outside the U.S.16.8%—
Work from home19.7%12.8%
Average commute16.6 min26.3 min
Homes with broadband81.8%91.8%

Weather in University of Virginia

July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 27.7°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.0 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 78 nights at or below freezing.

University of Virginia monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing45°28°Jan49°30°Feb57°36°Mar68°46°Apr75°55°May83°64°Jun87°68°Jul86°66°Aug79°60°Sep69°49°Oct58°39°Nov48°32°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.43.93.05.94.03.83.54.64.74.84.05.23.93.60.23.83.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Charlottesville 2W station (0.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of University of Virginia since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 30, 1959 about 5.5 miles from the town center and killed 11. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 6, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of University of Virginia by decade11950s11960s01970s01980s01990s52000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 4, 2002.

Severe weather in Albemarle County since 1996

Storm events in Albemarle County since 1996 by typeHail77Flood132Dense Fog10High Wind12Lightning10Heavy Rain10Flash Flood89Frost/Freeze20
NOAA Storm Events Database, Albemarle County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Albemarle County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 23, 2026Winter StormEM-3631: Severe Winter Storm
October 1, 2024Tropical StormDR-4831: Tropical Storm Helene
March 11, 2022Severe StormDR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
April 2, 2020BiologicalDR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3448: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Albemarle County

Albemarle County had 64,815 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,866 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in University of Virginia itself the ACS puts it at 10.9%.

Largest industries in Albemarle CountyHealth care & social assistan…7,800 jobs · $62,968Retail5,612 jobs · $43,717Hotels & restaurants4,630 jobs · $29,826Professional & technical serv…4,563 jobs · $108,285Manufacturing2,483 jobs · $75,621Construction2,324 jobs · $71,296
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Albemarle County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Albemarle 2.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near University of Virginia

University of Virginia questions

Is University of Virginia, Virginia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, University of Virginia scores better for retirees than 1% of Virginia towns and quieter than 4%. 2.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 19.6).

How much does a house cost in University of Virginia?

The median owner-occupied home in University of Virginia is valued at $442,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,546, so homes cost about 8.4 times income. Median rent is $1,421 a month.

What is the weather like in University of Virginia?

July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 27.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 17.0 inches of snow.

Does University of Virginia get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of University of Virginia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 30, 1959. The typical Virginia town has had 11.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to University of Virginia's Census boundary (GEOID 5180165). Comparisons use the median of Virginia towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.