A-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    B
  2. Crime & Safety
    B-
  3. Housing
    C
  4. Nightlife
    A-
  5. Good for Families
    B+
  6. Diversity
    A-
  7. Jobs
    C
  8. Weather
    B-
  9. Cost of Living
    B-
  10. Health & Fitness
    A-
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A-
  12. Commute
    A
View Full Report Card
Population
51,388

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$199,400
National
$178,600
Median Rent
$837
National
$928
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    64%
  • Own
    36%

Harrisonburg Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B-
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    152
    0
  • Murder
    2
    0
  • Rape
    47
    41
  • Robbery
    23
    0
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    295
    1
  • Theft
    1,969
    2,081
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    62
    0

Residents

Diversity
A-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$38,750
National
$53,889
Children
14%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    15%
    11%
  • Bachelor's degree
    21%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    22%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    27%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    16%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
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Harrisonburg Reviews

79 reviews
All Categories
Harrisonburg, also known as "The Friendly City" is welcoming and most importantly, family friendly. The small town is home to James Madison University, a liberal arts college. The university facilitated Harrisonburg's economy and diversity! Because the town is so ethnically diverse, it hosts several festivals throughout the year, like the International Festival. The lovely people of Harrisonburg come and dress up in their ethnic clothing and enjoy dance, food, and most importantly fun activities for the whole family! Harrisonburg's Downtown Renaissance is the heart and soul of Harrisonburg, as it is voted "The best thing about Harrisonburg " by the Daily News-Record Readers. The downtown includes a variety of places to dine, work, and shop. From live music to dance classes, there is always an activity to do and opportunities to fulfill passions. Just beyond Harrisonburg is the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. It's natural wonders of the caverns and mountains only bring joy to the heart!
Review Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg is a wonderful city! It is small, but it has a big heart. Inside the city limits one can find an incredible variety of eating out options of all cultures. There is a large live music scene in Harrisonburg, with free shows playing around the city frequently. It is a college town, so there are many opportunities to go to free events offered at the local colleges for community members. Outside of the city limits, is another world in itself. It gets more rural, and the people more laid back and friendly. There are many dairy farms and chicken houses. A hundred churches are scattered around the valley that surrounds Harrisonburg. These churches are on the forefront of keeping the community full of generosity, friendliness, and kindness. Then further still the mountains surround this beautiful Valley, offering pristine hiking, mountain biking, camping, and horseback riding in these National Forests. There is a reason it is called, "The Friendly City."
Beautiful place with very friendly people. Very diverse, though there could be more done to get diverse communities interacting with each other. Lovely college town, but pretty dead in the summer. Don't drive through JMU on move in day or grad weekend!