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FINALIST: No. 90
Population, town and surrounding area:
100,038 |
| Financial |
City Stats |
Best
places
average |
Median household income
(per
year) |
$45,486 |
$68,092 |
| Sales tax |
5.00% |
6.78% |
State income tax rate
(highest
bracket) |
5.75% |
n/a |
State income tax rate
(lowest
bracket) |
2.00% |
n/a |
Auto insurance premiums
(Average
for the state) |
$635 |
$855 |
| Housing |
City Stats |
Best places
average |
| Median home price |
$295,457 |
$315,413 |
Home price gain
(2-5
year gain) |
12.82% |
14.87% |
| Education |
City Stats |
Best places
average |
Colleges, universities and
professional schools |
3 |
32 |
| Junior colleges and technical institutes |
3 |
15 |
Student to teacher ratio
(grade
schools) |
11.20 |
15.37 |
| Quality of life |
City Stats |
Best places
average |
Air pollution index
(100
is national average; lower is better) |
90 |
90 |
Personal crime risk
(100
is national average; lower is better) |
56 |
69 |
Property crime risk
(100
is national average; lower is better) |
91 |
78 |
| Leisure and culture |
City Stats |
Best places
average |
Movie theaters
(within
15 miles) |
6 |
27 |
Restaurants
(within
15 miles) |
514 |
3,743 |
Bars
(within
15 miles) |
15 |
267 |
Golf courses
(public
courses; within 30 miles) |
10 |
72 |
Libraries
(within
15 miles) |
9 |
60 |
Museums
(accredited
by AAM; within 30 miles) |
2 |
10 |
| Weather |
City Stats |
Best places
average |
| Annual precipitation (inches) |
45.72 |
37.80 |
| High temp in July ° F |
86.90° |
86.11° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F |
25.40° |
26.61° |
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Charlottesville is an independent
city located
within the confines of Albemarle County in the state of Virginia.
As of the 2003 census update, the city proper had a population
of 39,162. It is the county seat of Albemarle County6 though
the two are separate legal entities. The Bureau of Economic
Analysis combines the city of Charlottesville with Albemarle
County for statistical purposes, bringing the total population
to 118,398. In 2004, Charlottesville was ranked the best place
to live in the United States in the book Cities Ranked and
Rated by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander. Sperling and Sander
ranked the cities based on cost of living, climate, and quality
of life. It is best known as the home of the University of
Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson.
The city is served by Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport and
by Amtrak.
Geography and History
Charlottesville is located in the center of the Commonwealth
of Virginia along the Rivanna River, a tributary of the James,
just west of the Southwest Mountains which parallel the Blue
Ridge about 20 miles to the West. It was formed by charter
in 1762 along a trade route called Three Notched Road (present
day US 250) which led from Richmond to the Great Valley. Other
major highways through Charlottesville are US 29, from Washington,
D.C. to Danville, Virginia, and I-64 which parallels US 250
in the vicinity of Charlottesville.
Monticello, the plantation manor of Thomas Jefferson, is a
popular tourist attraction close to Charlottesville. During
the American Civil War several battles took place in Charlottesville
including the Battle of Rio Hill. During the American Revolutionary
War the Convention Army was imprisioned in Charlottesville
between 1779 and 1781. On June 4, 1781, Jack Jouett warned
the Virginia Legislature meeting at Monticello of an intended
raid by Banastre Tarleton, allowing a narrow escape. Jouett's
Ride
John Mosby and Meriwether Lewis were both born in Charlottesville,
and Edgar Allan Poe lived in the city while attending the
University of Virginia. William Faulkner was a writer in residence
at the University of Virginia, to which he bequeathed all
of his original manuscripts. Also, William McGuffey lived
in Charlottesville while serving as a professor at the University.
Dave Matthews was a bartender in a Charlottesville bar called
Miller's when he formed the Dave Matthews Band, and now divides
his time between homes in Seattle and the Charlottesville
area. John Grisham currently makes Charlottesville one of
his two homes. Actress Sissy Spacek, famous for her portrayal
of tormented highschooler Carrie, lives just outside of Charlottesville,
in Albemarle County. Actors Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, and
Tom Cruise have maintained homes in the area as well. Both
Stephen Malkmus of rock band Pavement and David Berman of
rock band Silver Jews lived for a time in and formed their
respective bands while residing in the city.
Charlottesville is the home of the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory headquarters. It is served by two area hospitals,
the Martha Jefferson Hospital founded in 1903, and the UVA
Hospital.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has
a total area of 26.6 km" (10.3 mi"). None
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 40,099 people, 16,851
households, and 7,633 families residing in the city. The metropolitan
area population is 185,000. The population density is 1,695.3/km"
(4,389.7/m"). There are 17,591 housing units at an average
density of 662.0/km" (1,714.1/mi"). The racial makeup
of the city is 69.56% White, 22.22% Black or African American,
0.11% Native American, 4.93% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander,
1.02% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races.
2.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 16,851 households out of which 20.5% have children
under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% are married couples
living together, 13.1% have a female householder with no husband
present, and 54.7% are non-families. 34.9% of all households
are made up of individuals and 8.2% have someone living alone
who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size
is 2.27 and the average family size is 2.85.
The age distribution, strongly influenced by the University
of Virginia, is: 15.2% under the age of 18, 33.8% from 18
to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1%
who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years.
For every 100 females there are 87.5 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there are 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $31,007,
and the median income for a family is $45,110. Males have
a median income of $31,197 versus $26,458 for females. The
per capita income for the city is $16,973. 25.9% of the population
and 12.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total population, 20.8% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2%
of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. |
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