The OMB defines the area as comprising 17 county-level jurisdictions, including the independent cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights.

The Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes three other cities (Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights) and adjacent counties, is home to approximately 1.3 million Virginians or 15.1% of Virginia's population.

This also resulted in boosts in its economy, the building of malls, more national attention, and major sporting events and concerts coming to Richmond.

The area is home to the state's center of gravity of population—which, in 1980, was located thirty miles west of Richmond near the Powhatan-Goochland County border.

Poverty status is determined by the U.S. Census Bureau and is based on family composition, size, and income level.

The Richmond-Petersburg region is also located along several major rail lines operated by CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the Buckingham Branch Railroad.

[9] Another project, known as Transdominion Express, would extend from Richmond west to Lynchburg and from Washington, DC (Alexandria) south via an existing Virginia Railway Express route to Manassas, extending on south to Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Roanoke and Bristol on the Tennessee border.

[10] An international deepwater terminal is located at the Port of Richmond[11] on the James River which is navigable for shipping to Hampton Roads, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Richmond International Airport is located in Henrico County, five miles east of the city center.

[12] However, conservative Byrd Democrats continued to hold most suburban local offices and state legislative seats well into the 1980s.

Important manufacturing categories include tobacco, chemicals, printing and publishing, paper, and wood products.

Several economic and community development entities, both public and private, serve the Greater Richmond area.

Government-linked entities such as the Greater Richmond Partnership bring together elected leadership of local government with leaders from business and industry to coordinate initiatives to foster economic prosperity.

[15] Commonwealth Fusion Systems has announced plans to build the world's first grid-scale commercial nuclear fusion power plant at the James River Industrial Center in Chesterfield County; the plant is intended to produce about 400 MW of power.

Former Richmond mayor Dwight C. Jones called the city the tacky light capital of the world.

[20] The major network television affiliates are WTVR-TV 6 (CBS), WRIC-TV 8 (ABC), WWBT 12 (NBC), WRLH-TV 35 (Fox), and WUPV 65 (CW).

Richmond enjoys a low power FM Station, WRIR, which features all-volunteer community supported radio at all hours.

[22] Southside Speedway saw many NASCAR champions, including Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, and Darrell Waltrip.