Downtown Roanoke, Virginia 01
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Photo: Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Resized and re-encoded for web

Living in Roanoke City, Virginia

The metro's downtown core, walkable, with a greenway running along the river. Carilion's hospital and research campus is the big employer here and still growing.

$217,500
Median home
1.22
Tax per $100
84%
Grad rate
Car-dependent
Walkability
See what you can afford in Roanoke City →
Downtown Roanoke, Virginia 02
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Photo: Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Resized and re-encoded for web

Housing market

The median sale price in Roanoke City is $217,500, with most homes between $145,000 and $325,000. A typical home runs None bed / 3,286 sqft (built ~None).

Local starting points

Downtown RoanokeGrandin / Raleigh Court

Home-buying activity

In 2025, lenders financed 1,271 home purchases in Roanoke City, at a median mortgage of $205,000. 63% of new mortgages were purchases rather than refinances.

About 34% of mortgage applications were denied. Source: federal HMDA mortgage data (2025).

Jobs & hiring

A sample of what's open right now at Roanoke Metro-area employers (on-site & remote):

See all open roles & the RBTC job board →

Commute & how people work

About 12% of Roanoke City workers work from home and the typical commute runs 19 min.

19 min
Average commute
60%
Commute under 20 min
6%
Commute 45 min or more
12%
Work from home

How long the commute is, share of commuters

Under 10 min15%
10 to 19 min46%
20 to 29 min22%
30 to 44 min11%
45 min or more6%

How people get to work, share of workers

Drive alone75%
Carpool7%
Public transit2%
Walk or bike2%
Work from home12%
Other2%

Check drive times from a specific address →

Compare commutes across Roanoke Metro →

Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2024). County-wide figures, not a specific address.

Schools

Roanoke City Public Schools reports a 84% on-time graduation rate, with 55% passing Math and 56% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments (VDOE School Quality Profile).

Roanoke City enrollment →

Before you choose an address

Check a specific address for nearby schools, commute, and services →

Compare school signals across Roanoke Metro →

Amenities & walkability

Within a few miles you'll find about 0 restaurants & cafes and 0 grocery stores. The town center is car-dependent (0 walkable spots within a mile). Counts from OpenStreetMap.

Delivery & shopping apps

For everyday convenience, these are the clearest delivery-service signals we found for Roanoke City.

Exact delivery windows can vary by address, item, membership, restaurant hours, and driver availability. These checks use public service pages and do not log into private accounts.

Parks & the outdoors

Roanoke City has roughly 0 parks nearby, with easy access to Mill Mountain Park, Roanoke River Greenway, Appalachian Trail. Park counts from OpenStreetMap; destinations are well-known local landmarks.

Public parks & trails include Andrews Park, Argone Circle Park, Arnold R Burton Complex, Bennington Park, Blue Ridge Parkway National Park, Bluestone Park, Bonsack Park, Bowman Park. From county/city GIS.

Local rhythm

Weekdays

The city has the strongest walkable-district feel, especially near downtown, Grandin, Wasena, and the greenway.

Weekends

Markets, breweries, concerts, greenway rides, and mountain access are the local rhythm.

Newcomer tip

Older homes vary widely by renovation history; budget for inspections and maintenance context.

Festival and event weekends can change downtown parking and traffic.

Local businesses

Use this as a daily-life snapshot: grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, and everyday places that help you picture a normal week in Roanoke City. Owner-approved details appear when available.

Grocery & markets

Restaurants

Cafes & coffee

Bakeries

Bars & breweries

Shops & retail

Health & medical

Pharmacies

Gyms & fitness

Personal care

Hotels & lodging

Banks

Hardware & home

Auto services

Churches & faith communities

Other services

Gas stations

Convenience stores

Browse the full Roanoke City directory, search businesses, parks & employers →

Business listings start from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and public local directories; owner-approved updates appear after review. Own or manage one? Claim or add your listing.

Newcomer resources

Government & towns

Schools & enrollment

Utilities & internet

Parks & the outdoors

Things to do

Newcomer & community

Community & events

Year-round, locals turn out for Festival in the Park (May), the historic Roanoke City Market (daily), Local Colors multicultural festival, Dr Pepper Park concert series.

Major employers & institutions

The biggest workplaces in and around Roanoke City: the universities, hospitals, plants, and offices that anchor the local economy.

Universities

Colleges & training

Hospitals & health systems

Research centers

Manufacturing & factories

Government & public sector

Major employers & offices

Business & industrial parks

A starting list of the area's largest workplaces, compiled from public sources and OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).

Healthcare

Home to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the region's Level I trauma center and academic medical hub, plus a dense network of specialists.

Check drive times to care from a specific address →

Internet & remote work

Cox, Comcast/Xfinity, and Glo Fiber fiber service downtown and in most neighborhoods.

Verify broadband at the address level →

Climate

Valley-floor climate: warm summers, mild winters, about 42 inches of rain a year; the surrounding mountains shape local microclimates (NOAA, Roanoke).

Safety

Safety varies a lot by neighborhood here. South Roanoke, Grandin Village, and Raleigh Court are settled and walkable, while some inner pockets see more crime. It's worth looking block by block rather than judging the city as a whole. Safety varies block to block, so check current local crime data before you decide.

By the numbers

Cost of living

$55,378
Median household income
$190,500
Median home value
$996 /mo
Median gross rent
52%
Homes owner-occupied

Who lives here

38
Median age
30%
Adults with a bachelor's or higher

Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates.

Risk

9%
In a FEMA flood zone

Source: FEMA NFHL (approx, area-weighted)

Frequently asked questions

How much do homes cost in Roanoke City?

The median sale price in Roanoke City is $217,500, with most homes between $145,000 and $325,000.

What are property taxes like in Roanoke City?

Roanoke City's real-estate tax rate is about $1.22 per $100 of assessed value (roughly 1.22% a year).

How are the schools in Roanoke City?

Roanoke City Public Schools reports a 84% on-time graduation rate, with 55% passing Math and 56% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments.

Who are the major employers near Roanoke City?

Major employers include Carilion Clinic (~13,000+ employees, the metro's largest), Roanoke City Public Schools, City of Roanoke, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine & Research Institute.

Where is the nearest hospital to Roanoke City?

Home to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the region's Level I trauma center and academic medical hub, plus a dense network of specialists.

How long is the commute in Roanoke City?

The average commute for Roanoke City workers is about 19 minutes, and 60% get to work in under 20 minutes. County-wide Census figures, not a specific address.

Can I work remotely from Roanoke City?

About 12% of Roanoke City workers already work from home. Cox, Comcast/Xfinity, and Glo Fiber fiber service downtown and in most neighborhoods.

Nearby area guides

Keep exploring Roanoke Metro with nearby area guides.

Roanoke CountySalem

Moving from out of state?

See your tax and cost-of-living savings if you're moving from out of state:

Farmer's Market in downtown Roanoke, Virginia (49459803423)
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Photo: Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan / CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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Local headlines

All local news →

Compare costs in the moving guide →

Sources and freshnessLast rebuilt 2026-09-14 with public records and source notes for Living in Roanoke City.
  • Last rebuilt 2026-09-14 from the latest records synced into this guide.
  • Home-price medians use 44,611 recorded public sale rows across 1 area.
  • Property and tax figures come from county/city parcel, sales, and assessor records.
  • School metrics use Virginia Department of Education profiles when available.
  • Amenity and business counts use OpenStreetMap, so hours and listings can change.
  • Jobs, events, news, and business-directory layers are included only after their feeds or curated sources sync.
  • Use these figures as planning estimates, then verify taxes, listings, and school details before making an offer.

Also exploring Southwest Virginia?

This page is focused on Roanoke Metro. Open a neighboring guide when your search crosses into another part of the region.

Open NRV guideOpen Lynchburg guideOpen Charlottesville guideOpen Harrisonburg guideOpen Middle Peninsula guideOpen Winchester guideOpen NoVA guideOpen Bristol guideOpen Wytheville guideOpen SWVA guideOpen Culpeper guideOpen Martinsville guideOpen Southside guideOpen Farmville guideOpen Danville guideOpen Staunton guideOpen Richmond guideOpen Eastern Shore guideOpen Northern Neck guideOpen Alleghany guideOpen Fredericksburg guideOpen Petersburg guideOpen Hampton Roads guide