Moving to Petersburg and the Tri-Cities from Richmond
For people leaving Richmond, Southwest Virginia is one of the better-value places to land. Housing and taxes cost a good deal less here, and you're right next to the Blue Ridge.
VA's top income tax rate is 5.8% versus Virginia's 5.75%, and property taxes run about 0.90% there versus roughly 1% across the region. On a $336,982 home that's a meaningful annual difference.
Cost of living & housing
Overall costs run about 12% lower here than in Richmond. It takes only about $185,263 here to match a $200,000 lifestyle there. The $336,982 median home here would run on the order of $381,111 back in Richmond.
Where to live
For a first pass, compare both the numbers and the lifestyle fit. These are useful starting points before you narrow to specific homes.