Published October 9, 2026 | Written by the Mission Realty Team
People still say “John Tyler” and “J. Sargeant Reynolds,” but the names on the signs have changed. John Tyler Community College became Brightpoint Community College on July 1, 2022, according to the college’s own history page, and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College now goes by Reynolds Community College on its website. This guide uses the current names and mentions the old ones so you can match them to what you remember.
No public dataset tells you which neighborhoods are “best” for a student, a staff member or a parent buying near a campus, so we did not invent one. Instead, each pick below rests on something you can check yourself: a campus street address, a bus route the college lists, or the county a campus sits in. The order follows the campuses, from downtown outward, and is not a ranking. Each section also says who the area is wrong for.
We make no claims here about program quality, tuition or enrollment. For those, go to the colleges’ own sites. Before you tie a home search to a campus, confirm that the program you need is actually taught at that campus.
The five campuses, with the addresses the colleges list
Reynolds lists three campuses on its locations page: the Parham Road Campus at 1651 East Parham Road in Richmond, the Downtown Campus at 700 East Jackson Street, and the Goochland Campus at 1851 Dickinson Road in Goochland. Brightpoint’s locations page lists the Chester Campus at 13101 Route 1 in Chester and the Midlothian Campus at 800 Charter Colony Parkway in Midlothian. Those five addresses anchor everything that follows. Reynolds also lists The Kitchens at Reynolds at 2500 Nine Mile Road in Richmond, which is a separate location from the three campuses, so we did not build a neighborhood pick around it.
A practical way to read this guide: Reynolds covers the city, Henrico and Goochland side, and Brightpoint covers the Chesterfield side. If you are weighing a move that puts you between the two systems, decide which campus you will use most before you pick a neighborhood, because the drive from one side of the James River to the other is a real cost of time.
One caution on Chester: Mission Realty has no community page for Chester itself, so that section points to the Chesterfield page instead.
Jackson Ward and Monroe Ward: the Downtown Campus
Reynolds’ Downtown Campus is on East Jackson Street, which its locations page places near the Richmond Coliseum. Two nearby city neighborhoods with Mission Realty community pages are Jackson Ward and Monroe Ward, both inside the City of Richmond and both in the downtown part of the city. Measure the walk or ride from a specific address before you commit, because two blocks can change the answer.
Who it is wrong for: anyone who wants a large private yard or off-street parking for several vehicles. Downtown housing is dense, and what you can buy depends on the individual building. If that describes you, jump ahead to Midlothian or Goochland.
Church Hill: across Shockoe Valley from downtown
Church Hill sits east of the downtown core and works as a step outward from Jackson Ward for people who still want a city address. The campus connection is the same Downtown Campus on East Jackson Street, so this pick makes sense if you will be on campus several days a week but do not need to be next door.
Who it is wrong for: buyers who want a short, flat walk to campus, because the hill and the valley between you and downtown are real. It is also wrong for anyone whose classes are at the Parham Road or Chester campuses, which are on the other side of the metro.
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North Side: the Route 1 bus line to Parham Road
Reynolds says GRTC opened a stop at the Parham Road Campus in July 2024, and that riders can reach the campus on Route 1 from stops including Brook Road, Chamberlayne Avenue and downtown, as stated in its July 2024 news post. That makes North Side a practical choice for a rider who wants a city address without driving to campus. Our guide to Richmond neighborhoods near GRTC Pulse and frequent bus routes covers the wider network.
Who it is wrong for: anyone who needs a downtown campus daily, since a Route 1 ride to Parham Road is a different trip than one to Jackson Street. Verify current stops and schedules with GRTC before you rely on the line.
Lakeside: Henrico County next to the Parham Road Campus
The Reynolds locations page puts the Parham Road Campus about one mile west of I-95 in Henrico County. Lakeside is one of the Henrico County communities Mission Realty covers, and it keeps you in the same county as the campus, with its own county services and school system rather than the city’s. We did not measure the distance from Lakeside to the campus, so check the drive at the hour you would actually make it.
Who it is wrong for: students who plan to commute to Chester or Midlothian, which are across the James River, and anyone who wants a walkable street grid.
Chesterfield: the Chester Campus on Route 1
Brightpoint lists the Chester Campus at 13101 Route 1, formerly Jefferson Davis Highway, and says GRTC Route 3B serves it, along with a Petersburg Area Transit route with a stop on Weir Road. The nearest Mission Realty page is Chesterfield within Chesterfield County. It is a county-level page, so treat it as a starting point and not a Chester neighborhood profile.
Who it is wrong for: buyers who want an urban, walkable setting. The campus address is on a US highway, and you should expect to drive for most errands.
Midlothian: the Charter Colony Parkway campus
The Midlothian Campus is at 800 Charter Colony Parkway, and Brightpoint’s locations page lists no bus service there. That is a plain, checkable fact, and it means this is a drive-to-campus pick. Midlothian is a Chesterfield County community with its own Mission Realty page, and our Midlothian neighborhood guide goes deeper.
Who it is wrong for: anyone without a car. It is also wrong for buyers who need a downtown address, since the Reynolds Downtown Campus is a different trip entirely.
Goochland: the Goochland Campus at Dickinson Road
The Reynolds locations page places the Goochland Campus on the same grounds as the Goochland Family YMCA, near Routes 6 and 632 in the community of Goochland Courthouse, and lists no transit. Goochland in Goochland County is the most rural pick on this list.
Who it is wrong for: anyone who wants quick access to downtown or to the Parham Road Campus without a long drive, and anyone who does not want a car-dependent routine.
Questions to settle before you pick a campus-side address
Start with the campus where your program is taught, then the commute at the time of day you will make it. Two students in the same program can end up at different campuses. After that, compare neighborhoods on the things that stay put: the bus route, the county, and the road. If you are buying in the City of Richmond, also look at neighborhoods near VCU for a comparison of how another campus-side market works. If financing is part of the picture, our buyer process page and preferred lenders page show where to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is John Tyler Community College still open under that name?
No. The State Board for Community Colleges approved a new name in July 2021, and Brightpoint’s history page says the college’s name officially changed to Brightpoint Community College on July 1, 2022. Many locals still use the old name.
Which Reynolds campus is in Goochland?
The Goochland Campus, at 1851 Dickinson Road in Goochland. Reynolds says it shares grounds with the Goochland Family YMCA near Routes 6 and 632.
Does a bus reach the Reynolds Parham Road Campus?
Reynolds said in July 2024 that GRTC Route 1 serves the campus. Route and stop details change, so confirm them with GRTC before choosing a home based on bus access.
Does Brightpoint’s Midlothian Campus have bus service?
Brightpoint’s locations page lists no bus service for the Midlothian Campus, while it lists GRTC and Petersburg Area Transit service for the Chester Campus.
Should I buy or rent near a community college campus?
That depends on how long you will stay and how stable your plans are. A short program often fits renting more naturally, while a household planning to stay several years, or a family buying near a campus where staff work, may lean toward buying. Compare the length of your stay against closing costs and the time it takes to sell later.
Do these neighborhoods work for staff and faculty, not just students?
Yes. The picks rest on addresses and routes, not student status, so they apply to anyone commuting to a campus. Staff schedules often differ from class schedules, so test the commute at your own hours.
Are Reynolds and Brightpoint the only community colleges in the Richmond area?
They are the two this guide covers. Reynolds lists campuses in Richmond and Goochland, and Brightpoint lists campuses in Chester and Midlothian. Other colleges and universities in the area are outside the scope of this guide.
What else does Reynolds list besides its three campuses?
Reynolds also lists The Kitchens at Reynolds at 2500 Nine Mile Road in Richmond, which its locations page says opened in July 2020 in the East End of Richmond. It is separate from the Downtown, Parham Road and Goochland campuses.
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