The wide variety of neighborhoods in Virginia’s Blue Ridge creates attractive options for just about everybody.
Downtown Roanoke lights up at night.
The Roanoke Valley is a large chunk of Western Virginia encompassing four counties and two cities with a population of 300,000. Twenty distinct localities have among them hundreds of neighborhoods. You can find a little bit of everything. From the elegant and expensive with Smith Mountain Lake, South Roanoke, and Hunting Hills to the upwardly mobile Cave Spring, Hollins, Botetourt County, and Salem, to the blue-collar Northeast, Vinton, Craig County and Southeast.
The Valley has seen its population grow by 12.5% over the past 10 years. This modest, steady growth is projected to continue for the near future.
That’s a lot to take in, but Roanoke Vice Mayor Joe Cobb gives it some perspective: “Neighborhoods that work best are those that reflect the beauty and vulnerability of their neighbors – from the welcome extended, to the diversity created, to how neighbors look after and care for each other as needs arise.
“When we see the Fairland Civic Organization host training events for their neighbors to learn how local government works in relationship to neighborhoods, they are training neighbors to be advocates. When the ‘I Heart SE’ campaign brings neighborhoods together to celebrate the Southeast part of our city, they are teaching neighbors to celebrate life together.
“When Old Southwest Inc. creates a Covid-19 outreach to neighbors in need, they are teaching neighbors to care for each other. When Greater Grandview neighbors design a new sign for the gateway of their neighborhood in multiple languages, they are celebrating the diversity of neighbors and neighborhoods.
“We are a city made stronger and healthier by our neighborhoods.”
Sunni Purviance, president of the Southeast Action Forum, sees “neighbor” as the functional part of the equation: “So many of my neighbors have become great friends and we get to enjoy a lot of fun together while we’re working on projects and activities to care for our neighborhood.
“Even through the COVID shutdown, neighbors have remained active in spreading cheer and beautifying our community through activities such as weekly litter cleanup walks, a new public mural and several temporary chalk murals.”
Bill Elliot, chairman of Davis H. Elliot company, and a lifelong resident of South Roanoke, says his is “an unusual neighborhood [that has] defied all the rules.” Property values have held “far beyond expectations, commercial businesses [have] not moved in. No gas stations, convenience stores popping up. Once people move in, they tend to stay.”
Elliot sees a neighborhood that “though not very diverse, it certainly has a lot more diversity than when I was growing up. It’s a conservative neighborhood,” one where people walk, enjoy low crime rates, bigger houses and cling to tradition.
Publisher Tom Field, another born-and-raised resident of the Valley, settled in with his family (wife, three daughters) in Glenvar some years ago because it “allows one to claim allegiance to both Salem and Roanoke. It’s the only community that gets that passport. We hang out in Salem but can still drive through it to Star City Proper.
“We have the Fort Lewis mountain range, just enough curvy back roads, and Roanoke County’s best sprawling unadulterated park: Green Hill. We love our softball and bike rides and dog walks and greenways and close proximity to the cleanest ballpark you’ll find. Our families are evenly split between living in rural, private settings or club-like manicured neighborhood communities. It’s a great place to raise a family.”
John Garland, a developer specializing in renovations of older buildings in Roanoke, has made his reputation by preserving some of the best buildings in the Valley, most for residential use. A native, he recently moved to Raleigh Court, but has lived in several sections of the Valley, including Grandin Court, downtown and Botetourt County.
He has “fallen in love with our new home and our new neighborhood and neighbors. Our neighborhood has several get-together parties each year to stay connected and we have a neighborhood email list and map to stay in contact. That’s a first for me.
“Our street is wooded and secluded and each house is distinctly different. Neighbors are friendly and helpful. Our street is walkable and most seem to take advantage of that. I also ride my bike regularly to Wasena Park and downtown.”
Living in Botetourt County, he says, provided “serenity, nature, seclusion, wide-open spaces and … you can also have cows and not bother with neighbors,” if that’s your preference. Downtown Roanoke has “connectivity to everything.”
Stephanie Moon Reynolds moved to Northwest Roanoke in 1971 and has been there since. She lived on 10th Street for more than a quarter-century and “I raised three children and nurtured three grandchildren.” In 2006, she moved to Oakland Boulevard and raised the grandchildren, then in her custody. It has been convenient “with additional amenities such as a pharmacy, a library, a neighborhood park, elementary and middle schools, all within walking distance. This location was well-suited for the raising of my grandchildren.”
Katelynn Lewis, president of the Raleigh Court Neighborhood Association and owner of New to Me Consignment Boutique, moved to Grandin Village five years ago and asks, “Who wouldn’t want to live in a neighborhood where there is a Co-Op grocery store, movie theatre, some of the best restaurants, bars and retail shopping, all within walking distance? Raleigh Court also has direct access to greenways, trails and the Roanoke River.
“Most of all, there is a great sense of community amongst neighbors, and people are proud to call Raleigh Court home. Events such as the Chillage, which provides funding to help support the Village, Winterfest, the Annual Children’s Parade and other community events really make the neighborhood a great place to live.”
Realtor Shaeen Mehmood of Wainwright & Co. is seeing “a seller’s market” in the Roanoke Valley. “Many homes have had multiple offers.” Those looking for homes seek “the same as ever: good school district if they have kids and good resale.”
The best values, she says, are in Vinton and Southeast, which are “a little far from I-81, downtown and the airport,” but have low selling prices.
Recent diversity has meant an influx of people from ethnic backgrounds moving to the Valley, “mainly due to growth at businesses like Carilion, Metalsa, TEMIC and Yokohama.” She has sold homes to newcomers, primarily in Salem and Southwest Roanoke County. “The SW Roanoke County schools are a big attraction,” she says. “The online data is a big draw.”
Christy Crouch of ReMAX All Points sees people “gravitating to Roanoke for retirement, based on being rated in the top 25 best places to retire by Forbes Magazine,” as well as being ranked in the top 25 most scenic places to retire.
“Our local market is very strong right now. In fact, we experienced a record-breaking month in June for the most homes sold in a single month. If homes show well, are priced right and in Roanoke County, Salem, Glenvar, Botetourt, they are generally selling within just days of being listed and in many cases with multiple competing offers.
“These areas seem to be the most sought-after, I think due to convenience, school systems and their ability to hold property values.”
But it’s that “neighborhood” feeling that remains a constant for just about everybody. Cobb emphasizes that “neighborhoods are not only places to call home, they are places where children can play, where we can walk and say hi to our neighbors sitting on their porches or out walking their dogs, where we can support our local school or small business or faith community, where we can watch a pick-up basketball game, where we can share a picnic in a park.”
That’s the Norman Rockwell view and one that always seems to work.
Roanoke City Fast Facts:
- Roanoke City’s population is approximately 100,000 people
- 43 compact square miles
- Per capita income is $28,752
- The only locality in the United States to have been named an All-America City seven times by the National Civic League
- Recently received awards as one of America’s Most Livable Communities, as well as being named a high-ranking Digital City
Roanoke County (and Vinton) Fast Facts:
- Roanoke County has a per capita income of $32,220 (Vinton’s is $28,437)
- Roanoke County has a population of approximately 93,000 people (Vinton has a population of 8,100)
- Roanoke County is spread over 251 square miles (Vinton covers 3.1 square miles)
- Roanoke County has 16 unincorporated communities
- Roanoke County has 25 public schools, ranked among Virginia’s best
Salem Fast Facts:
- Salem has a population of 25,000
- Its area is 15 square miles
- Per capita income is $35,140
- “Salem” is derived from “shalom,” meaning “peace”
- Founded in 1802 and became a city in 1967
- Home to Roanoke College and American National University
Franklin County Fast Facts:
- Franklin County has 10 unincorporated communities and two towns
- Population is a sparse 56,159 residents
- It has 14 schools
- Per capita income is $26,188
- It is 712 square miles
- The county’s eastern border is the 20,000-acre Smith Mountain Lake
By the Numbers:
Botetourt County:
- Established in 1770
- Population (2018): 33,277
- Total Area (Land): 543 sq. mi.
- Average Home Price: 220,000
Franklin County:
- Established in 1785
- Population (2018): 56,195
- Total Area (Land): 712 sq. mi.
- (Water): 19 sq. mi.
- Average Home Price: $184,900
Roanoke City:
- Established in 1884
- Population (2018): 99,920
- Total Area (Land): 43 sq. mi.
- Average Home Price: $158,500
Roanoke County:
- Established in 1838
- Population (2018): 94,073
- Total Area (Land): 251 sq. mi.
- Average Home Price: $191,400
Salem:
- Established in 1802
- Population (2018): 25,643
- Total Area (Land): 14.63 sq. mi.
- Average Home Price: $174,000
Vinton:
- Established in 1884
- Population (2018): 8,096
- Total Area (Land): 3.2 sq. mi.
- Average Home Price: $159,300