Thinking of moving to the area? These transplants-turned-locals share why it’s a great idea.
Photo above Courtesy of Emma Henterly
Transplants love Roanoke for good reason. Ruth Gray of MKB Realtors helps many out-of-state clients find their home in southwest Virginia. While their reasons for moving are varied, one constant emerges: Everyone who moves to, or near, Roanoke is happy. Ruth says, “I have yet to find a client who has moved here and been disappointed.”
Cost of Living
When people from out of state get priced out of their homes, they turn to Ruth for help. Many of her clients have found financial asylum in Virginia, even if they don’t move from states that are considered expensive.
Ruth is a transplant who has lived in many different states herself, including Florida. She explains, “Even though areas of Florida have affordable homes, homeowner’s insurance in Florida is $10k a year because of frequent natural disasters. It’s only $1k for a comparable home in Virginia. Even though Roanoke housing prices have increased, we still have a great cost of living.”
The cost of living is favorable compared to states people move from, but also compared to similar nearby cities. Stefanie Rodriguez and Julie and Bruce Sutton compared Roanoke to Asheville when making their moves, choosing Roanoke because of its cost of living.
Western states are also driving people out because of finances. Melissa Sladin and Heath Ellis call themselves “economic migrants” after they were priced out of Colorado, their home of 20 years.
They prioritized finding a place that was affordable without giving up the outdoor-focused lifestyle they had in Colorado. They found it here.
Outdoor Fun
Water Sports
Melissa and Heath have delighted in outdoor activities since moving to Roanoke. Melissa says, “We mountain bike, hike, rock climb, paddleboard and kayak. Those things are very important to us. I’ve been the only one out paddleboarding on Carvins Cove on a perfect blue-sky day! It’s dreamy.”
Lila Caldwell and her family agree. They are “passionate whitewater kayakers” who have always enjoyed “phenomenal access to whitewater recreation.” When they moved to Roanoke three years ago, they focused on a destination within the Appalachian Mountains that would be close enough to whitewater. They regularly enjoy kayaking together on the James River.
If slower-paced water sports are what you’re after, Roanoke can provide that too. Gabby Kozelski and her family enjoy more leisurely aquatic sports.
They describe Smith Mountain Lake as their “home base” during the summer, grateful that they can swim and enjoy the beaches that provide lifeguards on duty. They also describe fishing as an “adventure” and marvel at the variety of fish they catch on any given day.
Mountains
You can also stay dry while enjoying the outdoors, as the mountains provide ample recreation. Nichole Bryner and her family appreciate the views, especially in fall. She says, “We love being close to mountains and enjoying nature. We arrived in October just in time to see all the beautiful fall colors.”
Stefanie shares Nichole’s sentiment: “We love that we’re just a short drive to the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway and the amazing hiking trails within the area.”
Four Seasons
Fortunately, the climate in Roanoke allows for people to enjoy outdoor fun for almost 12 months out of the year. Ruth says, “We don’t get too hot. We don’t get too cold. We get to taste all four seasons in a comfortable way.”
Stefanie finds the four seasons to be a welcome relief from the Florida heat. During the summer, she and her family were sometimes forced indoors because the heat index made outdoor activities dangerous. But in Roanoke, they’re able to enjoy the outdoors even in the “dog days” of summer.
Gabby shares Ruth and Stefanie’s sentiment that Roanoke is comfortable all year round, but for a different reason. Gabby explains the rainy season in southwestern Virginia isn’t as “long or dreadful” as what they experienced in Oregon. She says, “While we get to enjoy everything the seasons have to offer, it’s now in a milder version, and we couldn’t be any happier!”
Indoor Delights
If you prefer to stay indoors, Roanoke still offers a lot. When Emily Reinhardt and her husband, Will, were dating long distance, they found plenty of ways to keep busy and foster their burgeoning romance.
Emily and Will met up in Roanoke for dates because it had more variety than they had in their own respective towns. Will is a “coffee and breakfast guy,” but Emily’s own town didn’t have any coffee shops. So they visited different places in Roanoke.
They ended up connecting over experiencing a new place together. Emily remembers, “We loved exploring all of the food, brews and festivals when it was just the two of us.”
Now that they have a child, their priorities have changed, but Emily remains enchanted. With a growing family, they love easy access to local libraries and the variety of free events that they host. From story time to scavenger hunts to holiday-themed parties, the libraries provide a safe place for kids to play.
Pleasant Personalities
While parents typically prioritize academic preparation in school choice, pleasant social interactions have also influenced many transplants. Melissa describes the Community School as so welcoming that her kids “genuinely love school for the first time of their lives.”
Stefanie has found people to be pleasant everywhere she goes, even at the DMV. She explains, “The DMV, which is notorious for being a miserable place, was a nice experience due to the cheerful and helpful staff working there. My 11-year-old daughter has even commented to me that people just seem nice here.”
Access to Quality Health Care
This strong sense of community extends to health care. When Laura Horne’s son developed Type 1 diabetes, the kindness her family received helped them through their experience. Laura “cannot say enough good things about the compassionate community of support” they found at Carilion Children’s Hospital.
Additionally, Laura and her husband received “excellent advice and training” on how to care for their son.
Gabby’s move has also put her mind at ease because her son with special needs has access to specialized health care. When they lived in Oregon, no one felt comfortable treating him because of his age. They were referred to doctors with extensive wait lists hours away.
Thankfully, Gabby has found the doctors in Roanoke are “very knowledgeable” in treating his condition.
Both moms are especially grateful that access to this health care is local and doesn’t require travel.
These transplants agree with Ruth’s assessment that Roanoke has it all. While there are many areas of the country with natural beauty and a decent cost of living, Roanoke combines this with people working to create memorable experiences and live well together.
Having lived in many different states and different homes, Ruth draws this conclusion: “I’ve never lived anywhere else where the community — including the county and city — offers so much to get people out of the house and engaged. People really feel that when they come to visit, and it’s something that makes people want to move here. Roanoke as a whole is a community-focused community.”
The story above is from our January/February 2026 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
