CountyScore

Petersburg city

Virginia · VA

#110 in Virginia
65.5
County Score

County Report Card

About Petersburg city, Virginia

Petersburg exceeds national average

Petersburg city's composite score of 66.7 is 33% above the national median of 50.0, positioning it comfortably in the upper half of U.S. counties and cities. This above-average performance reflects meaningful livability fundamentals despite regional challenges.

Below Virginia's state average

With a composite score of 66.7, Petersburg city falls short of Virginia's state average of 70.3, ranking it in the lower-middle tier of the commonwealth's counties and cities. The city lags typical Virginia livability benchmarks.

Tax efficiency offers value

Petersburg city's Tax Score of 76.5 and effective tax rate of 0.918% provide a measure of fiscal restraint. Its Cost Score of 71.8 with a median home value of $157,900 delivers reasonable affordability within a urban context.

Income and housing costs constrain options

Petersburg's Income Score of 16.5 reflects a median household income of $50,741, below state norms, while median gross rent of $1,132/month strains affordability for lower-income residents. Safety, health, schools, environmental risk, and water quality data remain unavailable.

Fits budget-conscious urban seekers

Petersburg city appeals to individuals and families seeking urban amenities with modest affordability and tax efficiency, though income limitations and incomplete data suggest careful consideration before relocating. It suits those comfortable with lower median incomes who value city living over suburban or rural alternatives.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax76.5Cost71.8SafetyComing SoonHealth56.6SchoolsComing SoonIncome16.5Risk83.1WaterComing Soon
🏛76.5
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠71.8
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼16.5
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤56.6
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡83.1
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare Petersburg city with another county →

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Deep Dives

Petersburg city across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Petersburg city

via TaxByCounty

Petersburg's tax rate exceeds national norms

Petersburg's effective tax rate of 0.918% ranks above the national median, though its median tax of $1,449 falls below the national median of $2,690. This reflects Petersburg's lower median home values of $157,900 relative to the national average.

Well above Virginia's statewide average

Petersburg's 0.918% effective rate substantially exceeds Virginia's 0.671% state average, making it one of the state's higher-tax cities. With median taxes of $1,449, Petersburg residents pay about 74% of the state median despite significantly lower property values.

Higher burden than surrounding counties

Petersburg's 0.918% rate far exceeds all surrounding counties, including Nottoway's 0.420% and Pittsylvania's 0.593%, placing it among Virginia's most expensive tax environments. Only Poquoson city matches Petersburg's elevated rate at 0.903%.

Plan for $1,400+ in annual taxes

On Petersburg's median home value of $157,900, the 0.918% effective rate yields approximately $1,449 in annual property taxes. Homeowners with mortgages may see this rise to $1,529, reflecting Petersburg's elevated rate structure.

Challenge overassessments in high-tax environments

In cities with rates as high as Petersburg's, even small assessment errors translate into significant unnecessary annual costs. Verify your property's assessed value against recent comparable sales and file an appeal if warranted—it could save you hundreds annually.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in Petersburg city

via CostByCounty

Petersburg faces a severe affordability crisis

Petersburg city's 26.8% rent-to-income ratio far exceeds national norms, placing severe strain on renters who spend more than one-quarter of income on housing. With a median household income of just $50,741 and median rent of $1,132, Petersburg residents face the highest housing burden in this Virginia cluster.

Petersburg ranks among Virginia's least affordable

At 26.8%, Petersburg's rent-to-income ratio dramatically exceeds Virginia's 18.6% state average by 8.2 percentage points, placing it among the least affordable cities in the commonwealth. The city's median rent of $1,132 nearly matches the state median despite significantly lower incomes, creating a perfect storm of affordability stress.

Petersburg's rents exceed lower-income peers

Petersburg's $1,132 rent rivals Nottoway County and exceeds most rural Southwest Virginia communities despite having one of the cluster's lowest incomes of $50,741. This mismatch creates unsustainable housing costs for Petersburg renters compared to regional peers.

Petersburg's unsustainable housing math

Renters allocate $1,132 monthly while homeowners commit $1,049, creating housing costs that consume over 26% and 24% of the city's median income respectively. Petersburg residents face the tightest housing squeeze in this cluster, with fewer discretionary dollars after covering shelter costs.

Petersburg demands careful financial planning

Petersburg city presents serious affordability challenges despite lower absolute prices; renters and buyers earning near the city median of $50,741 will struggle with housing costs. Only those with incomes substantially above the median should consider relocating here without significant financial stress.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in Petersburg city

via IncomeByCounty

Petersburg struggles with income gap

Petersburg city's median household income of $50,741 falls roughly $24,000 short of the national median of $74,755, placing it in the bottom 20% nationally. This significant income deficit reflects years of economic disinvestment and limited job growth.

Virginia's lowest-income city

Petersburg's $50,741 median household income ranks 32% below Virginia's state average of $74,957, among the lowest in the state. The city's per capita income of $29,590 is also substantially below Virginia's average of $39,155.

Tied with Patrick, below regional peers

Petersburg's $50,741 is nearly identical to Patrick County ($50,938) but well below Nottoway ($62,161) and Page County ($59,396). Only Norton city ($38,497) falls further behind, making Petersburg one of Virginia's economically challenged jurisdictions.

Housing costs consume much income

Petersburg's 26.8% rent-to-income ratio is the highest among these counties, approaching the stress threshold of 30%, with a median home value of $157,900. This leaves households with tighter budgets after housing, making savings and emergencies more challenging.

Prioritize financial stability first

With higher housing cost burdens, Petersburg residents should focus first on building a modest emergency fund ($1,000–2,000) before investing. Seek out employer benefits, community financial counseling programs, and low-cost banking options to maximize every dollar.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in Petersburg city

via HealthByCounty

Petersburg faces acute health crisis

At 64.3 years, Petersburg's life expectancy is the lowest in Virginia and among America's most challenged regions—11.2 years below the U.S. average of 76.4 years. Nearly 1 in 4 residents (24.1%) reports poor or fair health, nearly double the national average. This gap represents one of the nation's starkest public health emergencies.

Virginia's lowest life expectancy

Petersburg ranks dead last in Virginia for life expectancy at 64.3 years, a devastating 10.8-year gap behind the state average of 75.1 years. Only Norton city (65.0) comes close to this crisis level among Virginia jurisdictions. Petersburg demands emergency-level public health investment and policy intervention.

Profound disparity from regional peers

Petersburg's 64.3-year life expectancy is 8.0 years below Orange County (75.2) and 8.6 years below nearby Chesterfield and Henrico—some of Virginia's healthiest regions just miles away. The city's 24.1% poor/fair health rate stands among the nation's worst, far exceeding any rural county in this profile. This urban-rural disparity masks a crisis of inequality in the Petersburg metro area.

Mental health resources hide access crisis

Petersburg's 7.5% uninsured rate—better than the state average of 7.9%—shows insurance coverage alone doesn't explain the health crisis. Though the city has 597 mental health providers per 100,000 residents (among the highest in Virginia), just 66 primary care providers per 100,000 residents means many lack a consistent medical home. Structural factors beyond provider count—poverty, housing instability, environmental hazards—drive the catastrophic health outcomes.

Coverage is essential, but not sufficient

Petersburg's strong insurance enrollment (7.5% uninsured) shows the community values coverage, yet life expectancy remains in crisis. Visit healthcare.gov or the Virginia Department of Social Services to ensure you have continuous Medicaid or marketplace coverage. But coverage alone cannot solve Petersburg's health emergency; systemic investments in poverty reduction, primary care, and environmental health are equally urgent.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in Petersburg city

via RiskByCounty

Petersburg ranks in the very low risk tier

Petersburg city scores 16.95 on the composite risk scale, placing it well below the national average and in the very low risk category. The city's lower-than-typical hazard exposure provides a relatively protected environment compared to most U.S. municipalities.

Among Virginia's lowest-risk jurisdictions

At 16.95, Petersburg scores about 49% below Virginia's state average of 33.27, ranking it among the commonwealth's safest communities. The city's below-average positioning reflects its geographic advantages and distance from certain high-risk hazard zones.

Safer than Dinwiddie, comparable to Richmond area

Petersburg's score of 16.95 edges out nearby Dinwiddie County while sitting lower than most Piedmont region communities with higher flood risks. The city's position in the lower James River valley provides some flood exposure while maintaining overall low risk.

Earthquakes and tornadoes top the list

Earthquake risk (66.09) and tornado risk (28.98) represent Petersburg's most significant hazard exposures, though neither approaches state-average severity levels. Flood risk (36.20) and hurricane risk (68.92) rank third and fourth, creating a varied but manageable threat environment.

Standard homeowners coverage covers most risks

Petersburg residents should ensure homeowners policies include wind coverage for tornado and hurricane preparedness, though direct impacts remain relatively infrequent. Those in mapped flood zones should assess flood insurance needs, as Petersburg's James River location poses localized flooding threats.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

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Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.