2023 Best Places to Live in the Roanoke Area

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  55 reviews

Former Resident: Overall, Cave Spring is a great are within Roanoke, VA to live. The community is close-knit and overall, safety seems to be a priority for most. The schools in this area tend to be nationally recognized, especially for music education.... Read 55 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 25,248

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.44 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: Hollins virgins is a very nice place to live. everything you need from downtown “night life” to the shopping centers is only 10 minute drive away. Several local restaurants in every direction. Is also quiet and somewhat rural. I would highly recommend. The only downfall is not a whole lot of things to do for children. But several big cities are only an hour or two away.... Read 27 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 15,857

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  95 reviews

Current Resident: Salem is a charming town. It has a small town feeling of community while offering residents many of the positive amenities of a more urban city. It has a wealth of history, eclectic food and drink offerings, small breweries, a coffee shop where they roast their own beans, an excellent school system, wonderful entertainment options, quality medical and hospital system, and much more. The city government officials are approachable for dialogue and community input. The community at large is warm and welcoming to new residents. Salem residents and businesses look after one another in times of need. There are many options for places of worship, small business spaces with growth potential, green spaces, and welcoming to innovative ideas and businesses. The school athletics, music programs, academic and social organizations are highly supported by the community members whether the residents have children involved or not. Roanoke College is located Salem. It’s a great place to reside.... Read 95 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 25,335

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived here my whole life. It is a very safe area. Also very quiet. You are far away from some activities but it isn't unreasonable.... Read 13 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 3,078

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.78 out of 5  310 reviews

Current Resident: Roanoke is a lovely space to live for the lovers of outdoor culture, mellow life and opportunities for growth. This isn't the city for the club or party life, but for niches, lounges & 'bubbles'. The city is growing rapidly, but unless one actively involves themself in a bubble (hobby, interest, cause, community), it can be quiet boring. This is simply because it is a core facet of Roanoke's culture - small groups so enmeshed in their groups & pockets, they are often unaware of the other little thriving worlds around them. Roanoke's metro, counts ~300,000 in populace, with a diversity often difficult to grasp in census count, with +30% Black, and a Latinx community which is woefully underrepresented in reported stats. It's a city for retirees, families & young entrepreneurs & career professionals. The thriving industries are healthcare, manufacturing, life science and beverage/brewing. If proactive in your pursuit of a lovely life, you have everything you need here.... Read 310 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• Population 99,578

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.08 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I am not originally from the area, or even the state. i moved to Roanoke about 7 years ago and got tired of fighting 460 traffic everyday. We (my wife, 2 children, and myself) moved to Daleville 2 years ago. We love it. There are parks for the kids, beautiful scenery, wildlife abounds, and the people are nice. I do wish there were more restaurants but we can be to downtown Roanoke in 20 minutes, which offers plenty of options for everyone!... Read 13 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 2,979

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.6 out of 5  5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 1,770

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  32 reviews

Works Here: I moved from Maryland to Rocky Mount Va back in 2006, it was amazing to see how friendly people are. It is a slower pace of life, which I love. It is a small town, but for more restaurant variety, Roanoke is about a half hour away. I became involved with a good church, which became my new family. The secret here is to go with the flow and treat others with respect, it has allowed me to be accepted in the town. The Harvester Performance Center really helped build the community, there is a lot of pride in that fine little town. Add to that the festivals and special family events! Neighbors help neighbors here, something hard to find in densely populated areas. Working on air locally has also helped my family become part of a great community. Might I add that very good medical care is in town, with advanced care not far away. Rocky Mount is a well run town, I highly recommend it!... Read 32 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 4,863

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: Vinton is an excellent place to live. The town is small enough to get to know people all over town. That being said, Vinton is a large enough town to explore and find fun things to do with your friends. We are also a growing community. A few years ago, our town finished construction on a brand new library. The old library was renovated and is arguably one of the most popular restaurants in town. Our town also has top class schooling. All of our schools are located in peaceful neighborhoods. Our middle school and high school both have great teachers. Both schools have some of the best academic histories in our district. Our schools are filled with exceptional students and staff with a diverse range of backgrounds and ideas. Overall, Vinton is an ideal town to live.... Read 22 reviews

• grade B

• grade A minus

• Population 8,039

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Cloverdale all my life. It is a very safe and kid friendly area. Cloverdale in located in the Botetourt County school with several quality public schools.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 3,483

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3.32 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: One of the best little towns to live in! Quiet, family friendly, convenient to bigger cities, lots of outdoor activities and great local shops and restaurants.... Read 19 reviews

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• Population 6,610

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• Population 1,141

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: Beautiful scenery, nice neighbors the library offers several programs to keep kids interested in reading and science . I would like to see the schools get grants for improvements... Read 2 reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 640

• Town in Virginia

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 3,188

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: I would like to see some more up keep and diversity. I would also like to see more healthy living since there is so many bad habits by residents.... Read 6 reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 152

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: A beautiful area in the Virginia mountains. Expect to drive for 20+ minutes to get to even the nearest stores, but it's worth it for the amazing views.... Read 6 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 399

• Town in Virginia

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 1,337

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: I really enjoy Ferrum because of its small town environment. It is quiet area and it’s beautiful to look at as well. It’s a pretty safe area as well, hardly ever any crime reports. One could leave the front door unlocked and not have to worry about unwanted visitors. The only thing I wouldn’t mind seeing, is a couple more options for dining out. While there are a few places now to eat out, it could stand to have one or two more options to bring some variety.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B

• Population 1,832

• Town in Virginia

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 894

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.29 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Shawsville is a great small town. Good environment, great people, and a quiet living environment. Shawsville is a great location in between Christians burg, Salem, and Roanoke.... Read 7 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• Population 1,628

• Town in Virginia

• grade C+

• grade B+

• Population 1,081

• Town in Virginia

• grade C

• grade B+

• Population 1,691

• Town in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Montvale is a sparsely-populated town, as most of the surrounding area is farmland. It is about an hour away from both Roanoke and Lynchburg. There is an elementary school in Montvale, but the nearest public middle and high schools are in Bedford, which is about 30 minutes away.... Read 1 review

• grade C

• grade B minus

• Population 402

• Suburb in Virginia

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: I was fortunate that my family moved to Glenvar, located in the Roanoke County portion of Salem, VA when I was 3 years old. I attended a church pre-school right down the road from our house until I began Kindergarten at Glenvar Elementary School. I then attended Glenvar Middle school and am now at Glenvar High School where I am a senior. Glenvar is a close community where everyone knows and supports one another. I am so fortunate to have grown up in this rural community where I have so many friends and everyone treats you like you are family.... Read 5 reviews

• grade D+

• grade B+

• Population 873

• Suburb in Virginia

• grade D minus

• grade B minus

• Population 454