>Is that really how big city people view us?

Tbh, Richmond is not even on the radar of most Americans. I talk to people from all over the country in big cities (through work), and most raise their eyebrows when I say I live here and not Austin, NYC, DC, Denver, Bay Area etc. I get the "what's it like there?" question often. The most common thing people say is "I have heard it's beautiful out there". My hometown in the Midwest can't even find Virginia on a map.

Exception being people who have visited UR for campus tours etc. That school draws fancy folk from all over it seems.