Richmond

Best Richmond suburbs for schools

Ranked almost entirely on the Schools category — within-state proficiency, student–teacher ratio, graduation rate and schools nearby — with the two poll questions about children and teenagers at 20% once a place has enough responses.

Updated Sep 2026·20 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
View of the Shelton House near Totopotomoy Creek in Virginia. Revolutionary War patriot Patrick Henry was reportedly married in the parlor of this house. This h
Mechanicsville$351k median · 23.9 min commute
Schools B+Cost of living BResidents inactive
78
Schools score
overall 69 B−
2
A view of the Colonial Heights Boulevard, with the courthouse on the right
Colonial Heights$247k median · 25.5 min commute
Schools BCost of living A−Residents inactive
76
Schools score
overall 62 C
3
area Richmond-Peterburg
Manchester$317k median · 21.9 min commute
Schools BCost of living B+Residents inactive
75
Schools score
overall 65 C+
4
Meadowbrook Country Club in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
Meadowbrook$299k median · 25.4 min commute
Schools B−Cost of living BResidents inactive
72
Schools score
overall 60 C
5
Bon Air$365k median · 24.9 min commute
Schools B−Cost of living B−Residents inactive
71
Schools score
overall 66 C+
6
East Highland Park in Henrico County, Virginia.
East Highland Park$229k median · 23.6 min commute
Schools B−Cost of living BResidents inactive
69
Schools score
overall 57 C−
7
Entrance to Rockwood Park, in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
Rockwood$354k median · 23.8 min commute
Schools C+Cost of living BResidents inactive
67
Schools score
overall 64 C+
8
Chester Station Replica in Downtown Chester.
Chester$327k median · 27.8 min commute
Schools C+Cost of living B−Residents inactive
67
Schools score
overall 62 C
9
One of the entrances to the Brandermill, Virginia suburb.
Brandermill$376k median · 25.5 min commute
Schools C+Cost of living BResidents inactive
67
Schools score
overall 65 C+
10
A house and gas station in Lakeside, Virginia.
Lakeside$288k median · 20.0 min commute
Schools C+Cost of living A−Residents inactive
66
Schools score
overall 67 C+
This list's weighting
Schools 80%Resident poll (Q5, Q6) 20%

Poll components only count for places with eight or more resident responses; for the others the remaining weights re-normalise to 100%.

Other Richmond lists
Best Richmond suburbs for familiesMost affordable Richmond suburbsShortest commutes to Downtown RichmondMost walkable Richmond suburbsBest Richmond suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Richmond suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Mechanicsville (Robshenk · CC BY-SA 3.0); Colonial Heights (Mojo Hand · CC BY-SA 4.0); Manchester (wikipedia inglesa · CC BY-SA 3.0); Meadowbrook (Packer1028 · CC0); East Highland Park (Packer1028 · CC0); Rockwood (Packer1028 · CC0); Chester (James Shelton32 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Brandermill (Packer1028 · CC0); Lakeside (Packer1028 · CC0).