OFFICE BLUES

BURNOUT INDEX — VA — #42th OF 50

Richmond
Richmond, VA

26
/100
Below-average pressure
-4 vs. last update

Median household income is +5% vs. the national median with a BEA RPP of 98.6, implying relatively favorable purchasing power. Unemployment at 3.5% and a 25.5-minute average commute keep Richmond near the bottom of the burnout ranking. The labor market conditions here, on these three metrics, work less hard against you.

Scored 2026-07-21. Data: Census ACS 5-year 2023, BEA RPP 2024. Unemployment: BLS LAUS (most recent month).

The receipts

Three components, three public sources. Each term is clamped to [0, 1] before weighting. The formula is published on the methodology page; any change to the weights requires a public ADR (ADR-0013+).

Component Raw value vs. national Weight Contribution Source
Pay-to-cost gap
Median HH income vs. cost of living.
Purchasing power index: 1.06 (wages above cost-adjusted national) 		$84,405
RPP 98.6 		+5% national
median income 		40% 0 Census ACS 2023 BEA RPP 2024
Mean commute
Minutes/day, ACS 5-year. Capped at 60 min. 		25.5 min 1 min shorter than
26.5 min national 		30% 12.8 Census ACS 2023
Unemployment rate
BLS LAUS (monthly, MSA-level). Capped at 8%. Preliminary. 		3.5% 0.4pp below
3.9% national (ACS period) 		30% 13.1 BLS LAUS LAUMT514006000000003
Total score 26

Richmond in context

Richmond ranks 42th out of 50 major US metro areas on the Office Blues Burnout Index. The index measures three labor-market signals that directly affect worker quality of life: the gap between wages and cost of living, commute time, and unemployment pressure. It does not measure culture, management quality, or RTO mandates — those signals are not yet available at MSA level from primary sources without scraping.

The metro area population is approximately 1,346,819, making it one of the top-50 US metros by size. The data covers the Richmond, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 40060), which typically extends well beyond the core city limits.

On wages vs. cost of living: median household income here is $84,405 per year (+5% the national median of $80,610). Against a BEA Regional Price Parity of 98.6 (national average = 100, higher = more expensive), that works out to a purchasing-power index of 1.06 relative to a national baseline of 1.0. Wages here stretch further than the national average on a cost-adjusted basis — that's why the pay-to-cost gap contributes 0 points, not more.

On commute: the average one-way trip takes 25.5 minutes — 1 min shorter than the national mean of 26.5 minutes. The commute component contributes 12.8 points out of a possible 30 (capped when commute ≥ 60 minutes). Commute time is the most consistent predictor of reported job dissatisfaction in the academic literature; it compounds every other signal.

On unemployment: the rate is 3.5%, which is 0.4pp below the national reference figure of 3.9% for the ACS measurement period. The unemployment component contributes 13.1 points out of a possible 30 (capped at 8%). High unemployment signals a weak labor market where workers have fewer outside options — the classic condition for wage suppression and lower bargaining power. This figure is from BLS LAUS (2026-05-31), the most current available.

The score formula is editorial — 40/30/30 weights are a deliberate choice, not derived from regression. If you think the weights are wrong, the methodology page explains the rationale. Weight changes require a public ADR (ADR-0013+). The sources are federal, license-free for reuse with attribution.

HOW THIS IS CALCULATED

Formula (ADR-0012, binding):

burnout_score = round(
  40 × clamp₀₁(1 − normalized_wage / cost_norm)   // pay-to-cost gap
+ 30 × clamp₀₁(commute_min / 60)                  // commute
+ 30 × clamp₀₁(unemployment_pct / 8)              // unemployment
)

Where:

  • normalized_wage = $84,405 ÷ $80,610 (national median) = 1.0471
  • cost_norm = 98.600 ÷ 100 = 0.9860
  • pay_term = clamp₀₁(1 − 1.0471 ÷ 0.9860) = 0.0000
  • commute_term = clamp₀₁(25.5 ÷ 60) = 0.4250
  • unemp_term = clamp₀₁(3.5 ÷ 8) = 0.4375

Score = round(40 × 0.0000 + 30 × 0.4250 + 30 × 0.4375) = round(25.88) = 26

Full methodology, weight rationale, and source citations: /methodology#burnout-index. Weight changes are a brand contract — any modification requires ADR-0013+.

What changed since last update

Score moved from 30 to 26 (-4 points). Data sources refresh weekly via CI cron. Score changes reflect BLS LAUS monthly releases (unemployment) and are recomputed every Monday at 14:30 UTC.

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Raw JSON: /burnout-index/richmond-va.json · License: CC BY 4.0 · Cite as: Office Blues Burnout Index, Richmond, VA, officeblues.net/burnout-index/richmond-va, 2026-07-21