AARP Unveils Virginia’s 25 Top Livable Communities

New 2024 AARP Livability Index™ tool finds that while every community identified can support residents of all ages, Virginia requires improvement to meet aging population needs

AARP Virginia has announced the top 25 communities across the state that best support residents of all ages, according to the newly updated 2024 AARP Livability Index™ website. This comprehensive, data-driven tool evaluates the key factors that shape quality of life as people age, including housing, transportation, neighborhood safety, environmental quality, health services, and community engagement.
The latest data show that while some communities in Virginia have made significant strides in areas such as increasing access to health care, transportation, and civic engagement, every community still faces critical challenges in meeting the growing needs of older adults. Particularly, Virginia's top communities must focus on improving affordable housing options, clean air and water, and inclusion opportunities.
Based on the AARP Livability Index criteria, the top 10 communities in Virginia are:

1. Falls Church – with a score of 68, ranks #6 on the national list of most livable small cities with populations of 5,000 to 24,999. Its highest measure is 82 for health, measured by metrics and policies that promote healthy behaviors including smoking cessation, and exercise opportunities. The city’s lowest score is 37 in housing affordability and access.
2. Arlington County – with a score of 67, ranks #1 on the national list of most livable large communities with populations of 100,000 to 499,999. Its highest score is 84 for health while the lowest score was 47 in housing. The county is a member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC).
3. Vienna – scores 65, with its lowest score at 32 for housing and its highest score is 84 in health.
4. Alexandria – with an overall score of 64, its highest score is 75 in transportation convenience, safety and options. Its lowest score was 41 in opportunity, which measures job availability, government creditworthiness, and graduation rates. The city is a member of the NAFSC.
5. Charlottesville – with an overall score of 63, it scored lowest in opportunity at 39 and highest in health at 77. The city is a member of the NAFSC.
6. Herndon – with an overall score of 62, its highest score was a tie at 71 for both health and neighborhood proximity to key destinations, safety, and supporting mixed-use development. Its lowest score is 46 for housing.
7. Fairfax City – with an overall score of 62, the city’s lowest score is 43 in housing while its highest score is 84 in health.
8. Fairfax County – with a score of 62, ranks #9 on the national list of most livable very large communities, with populations of over 500,000. Its highest score is 80 in health and lowest is 43 in housing.
9. Vinton – with an overall score of 61, its lowest score of 49 is in health while its highest score is 73 in environment, related to air and water quality, as well as energy efficiency, and hazard mitigation plans.
10. Blacksburg – with an overall score of 61, its highest measure is 90 for transportation with its lowest score at 41 for opportunity.

"The AARP Livability Index website underscores that all communities in Virginia must continue to innovate and adapt to become more inclusive for people of all ages,” said AARP Virginia State President Joyce Williams. “AARP Virginia remains dedicated to collaborating with residents, advocates, and policymakers to ensure that our communities thrive for individuals at every stage of life.”
Other communities in Virginia ranking in the top 25 and their overall scores are:
11.  Salem – 59
12.  Purcellville – 59
13.  Lexington – 59
14.  Leesburg – 59
15.  Albemarle County – 58 NAFSC
16.  Staunton – 58
17.  Bridgewater – 58
18.  Roanoke County – 58
19.  Loudoun County – 57
20.  Warrenton – 57
21.  Montgomery County – 57
22.  Christiansburg – 57
23.  Roanoke City – 56 NAFSC
24.  Harrisonburg – 56
25.  Virginia Beach – 56
The AARP Livability IndexTM platform is the most comprehensive, web-based tool of its kind that scores every neighborhood and community in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the services and amenities that affect people’s lives the most as they age. The platform scores livability by using more than 50 national data sources to measure each community against 61 indicators of livability. Users can search the website by address, ZIP code, or community to find an overall or category score, identify challenges in their community and compare their neighborhood to others across performance benchmarks.
To view the AARP Livability Index platform or see your community’s score, visit www.aarp.org/livabilityindex.

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