CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

37.41° N · 77.44° W · GEOID 5106216

Bellwood

Chesterfield County, Virginia · part of the Richmond, VA metro

VirginiaBellwood, VABellwoodBellwood

The short answer

Bellwood is home to 7,907 people. Median household income is $47,781 a year and median rent is $1,059 a month, 26.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $225,300, about 4.7x annual median household income.

What sets Bellwood apart is how tight household budgets are. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $35,900 a year, less than in 94% of places its size. It is the 3rd-lowest of 176 Virginia places we track. Also notable: Rent took 30.1% of the median income in the 2019 survey and 26.6% in 2024. In the 25 places most like it the share fell 0.4 points on average, so affordability held up better here.

6OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Bellwood scores better than 6% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 188th of 190 in Virginia.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%21
Economy 20%35
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%22
Education 10%7
Commute 10%59
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,059
22% below the median place
Median household income
$47,781
40% below the median place
Median home value
$225,300
29% below the median place
Unemployment
4.4%
11% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Bellwood

  • AffordabilityThe median rent takes 26.6% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 88% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Bellwood

Chesterfield County gains about 5.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in21,702
Moved out19,789
Net+1,913

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Richmond city, VA4,3583,381+977
Henrico County, VA3,3542,297+1,057
Powhatan County, VA370718−348
Hanover County, VA350538−188
Prince George County, VA383452−69

Within Virginia, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within VirginiaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$75K
Leavers$69K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Chesterfield County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.1% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Chesterfield County report $74,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $69,400, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$42,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,059 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,348 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $225,300.
Getting to work
24 minutes each way on average; 6.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Keene, TX matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people6
5.9
above the median place (median -0.6)
Moved here in the past year1
6.5%
14% above the median place
Income of households moving in6
$74,845
6% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBellwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.5%14% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.1%4% above
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure5.9above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$74,8456% above
Income of households moving out6County figure$69,4181% below
02

What it costs to live here

44% of homes are owner-occupied, fewer than in 95% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track.

Bellwood26.6%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$42,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
26.6%
30% above the median place
Home price to income
4.7x
24% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
26%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$36,200
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Bellwood, $1,059 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.6 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Bellwood, but easier on the budget

Places that match Bellwood on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Keene, TX9322.5% vs 26.6%$4,100Compare
Batesville, AR9320.4% vs 26.6%n/aCompare
Milton-Freewater, OR9220.2% vs 26.6%n/aCompare
Manchester, TN9120.4% vs 26.6%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Bellwood.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Bellwood? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
43.9%
34% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
61.3%
21% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,348
28% below the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureBellwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,05922% below
Rent to income126.6%30% above
Property tax rate10.8%16% below
Home price to income14.7x24% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure97.93% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,6512% above
Property tax paid (median)1$1,71348% below
Median home value1$225,30029% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure2.8%13% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure57.0%11% above
Homeownership143.9%34% below
Renters paying 30%+161.3%21% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,34828% below
Vacant homes17.6%7% above
Median year built119901% above
03

Work and pay

Income per person is $23,356, 42% below the median place.

Income per person1
$23,356
42% below the median place
Median household income1
$47,781
40% below the median place
Poverty rate1
21.0%
95% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Works from home6.5% −48%
Unemployment4.4% −11%
Mean commute24 min −5%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBellwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$47,78140% below
Income per person1$23,35642% below
Unemployment14.4%11% below
Average annual pay5County figure$63,0574% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure0.6%84% below
Jobs5County figure148,6841% below
Poverty rate121.0%95% above
Mean commute124 min5% below
Works from home16.5%48% below
Commutes by transit1County figure0.4%51% below
04

Who lives here

14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a smaller share than in 89% of the 2,473 places under 10,000 people we track.

No health insurance1
17.8%
178% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
14.0%
56% below the median place
High school or higher1
78.4%
15% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband85.7% −7%
Median age33.3 −15%
Born abroad16.4% +86%
Household size2.6 +5%
All 8 people measures
MeasureBellwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17,9074986th largest
Median age133.315% below
Bachelor's or higher114.0%56% below
High school or higher178.4%15% below
Household size12.65% above
Born abroad116.4%86% above
No health insurance117.8%178% above
Homes with broadband185.7%7% below
05

Life in Bellwood

OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 84% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 195 Virginia places we track.

32 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.1 −50%
Playgrounds per 10k2.5 −73%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k8.8 −21%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails2 km +15%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Richmond National Battlefield Park 4 miles
  • Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site 10 miles
  • Petersburg National Battlefield 14 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.9 −24%
Shops24.7 −18%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.1 −24%
Doctors' offices and clinics21.0 +4%
Child care centers2.0 −13%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site9
3.8
88% below the median place
Public school students11
64,194
above the median place (median 4,897)
Restaurants and bars per 10k7
15.9
24% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureBellwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure75above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure64,194above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure14.09% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure15.924% below
Shops per 10k7County figure24.718% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure3.124% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure21.04% above
Child care centers per 10k7County figure2.013% below
Parks per 10k85.150% below
Playgrounds per 10k82.573% below
Grocery stores per 10k80.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k88.821% below
Libraries per 10k80.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails82.315% above
Transit stops per sq mi80.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site93.888% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles95150% above
National Register listings10County figure32146% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Median air quality index is 39, 9% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Bellwood. Larger places are fetched first.

Median air quality index14
39
9% below the median place
Good air days14
80.8%
18% above the median place
Wildfire risk13
44.0
28% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureBellwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure89°F3% above
January average low12County figure28°F11% above
Average temperature12County figure59°F7% above
Annual precipitation12County figure46.6 in6% above
Natural hazard risk13County figure84.88% below
Hurricane risk13County figure85.821% above
Tornado risk13County figure76.86% below
Wildfire risk13County figure44.028% below
Heat wave risk13County figure86.54% below
Median air quality index14County figure399% below
Good air days14County figure80.8%18% above
08

Bellwood in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 26% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 27% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Bellwood does better than 21% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 70%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,059/mo (2024)$1,320/mo$1,080 to $1,610/mo+3.7%
Median household income$47,781 (2024)$60,000$50,500 to $71,000+3.8%
Median home value$225,300 (2024)$328,000$238,000 to $451,000+6.4%

The median home would be worth 5.5 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Bellwood

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Griffin, GA$1,110$43,632Compare
Barstow, CA$1,091$53,380Compare
Jonesboro, GA$1,068$50,843Compare
Pigeon Forge, TN$1,053$53,261Compare
Pigeon Forge, TNJonesboro, GABarstow, CAGriffin, GABellwood, VABellwoodGriffinBarstowJonesboroPigeon ForgeBellwoodGriffinBarstowJonesboroPigeon Forge

Places built like Bellwood

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Bellwood performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Bellwood, VA26.6%2.6%/yrn/a
Garden City, GA32.2%0.4%/yr2.0%Compare
Dock Junction, GA31.4%-1.3%/yrn/aCompare
Stone Mountain, GA39.3%1.2%/yr-2.0%Compare
Riverdale, GA25.7%4.8%/yr-2.7%Compare
Oakwood, GA27.6%7.5%/yr50.5%Compare
Woodstock, VA15.8%12.2%/yr3.6%Compare

Common questions

Is Bellwood a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 6 out of 100, better than 6% of the places we rate and 188th of 190 in Virginia. The median rent takes 26.6% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 88% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 6 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Bellwood expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 26.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $225,300.

What salary do you need to live in Bellwood?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $42,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Bellwood?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Griffin, GA, Barstow, CA, Jonesboro, GA and Pigeon Forge, TN.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  9. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Bellwood with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Bellwood itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/bellwood-virginia

Citytistics. “Bellwood, Virginia.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/bellwood-virginia/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.