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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
    NG
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A-
  12. Commute
    A
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Population
51,979

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$197,400
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$834
National
$949
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Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    63%
  • Own
    37%

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
    115
    283
  • Murder
    4
    6
  • Rape
    47
    41
  • Robbery
    55
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    311
    500
  • Theft
    1,688
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    76
    284

Residents

Diversity
A-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$40,494
National
$55,322
Children
14%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    15%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    21%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    23%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    26%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    15%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
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Harrisonburg Reviews

96 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!
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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."
Harrisonburg has come a long way in the last 10 years, but it is still an unimpressive mediocre college town. There isn't much to do there, maybe a handful of beer bars, one weak (almost out of business) empty mall. The locals are mostly farmers, meth heads, or evangelical. The college doesn't help the locals, it only brings in more fast food restaurants and liberals. There really is a divide between the type of people that live there, and then the uber liberals that are there for college. I know someone that works with Harrisonburg City school system and she said most of her students can't speak English, and the administration is very hands off and lets anything happen.