Our Community

Comfortably nestled between the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Virginia Allegheny Highlands you will find exceptional quality of life in the Roanoke Valley.  The metropolitan area boasts a population of 250,000 and is located 479 miles from New York and 430 miles from Atlanta.  Benefiting from its location, Roanoke has attracted many well-known businesses such as Johnson and Johnson, General Electric and RR Donnelley.  The Roanoke Valley is known as the major medical center for southwestern Virginia, with four major facilities and several smaller centers.  More than 20 nursing facilities providing long term and intermediate care are located throughout the area.  Places Rated Almanac ranks the Roanoke Metropolitan area 59th of 351 for the availability of quality health care.

Young professionals, growing families and retirees alike continue to be drawn to the valley for its natural beauty, mild climate, excellent educational opportunities and wide array of cultural activities.  The Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Trail extend over the northern edge of Roanoke County and provide excellent opportunities for hunting, fishing, camping and hiking.  Situated between Smith Mountain Lake and Claytor Lake, the Roanoke Valley offers above average opportunity for water activities including swimming, skiing and boating.

The Roanoke Valley offers a variety of cultural opportunities for area residents of any age to enjoy.  The focal point of cultural activity is Center in the Square in downtown Roanoke, which houses the Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts, the Science Museum of Western Virginia and Hopkins Planetarium, Mill Mountain Theater and the Roanoke Valley History Museum.  Roanoke boasts several ballet companies and a well-regarded Symphony orchestra.  The newly renovated Jefferson Center provides an additional venue for a variety of live performances, and theater and musical productions, as well as meeting, seminar and reception facilities.  Other area attractions include the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the O. Winston Link Museum and Mill Mountain Zoo.  A variety of festivals are held in the area throughout the year celebrating a wide diversity of occasions.  Numerous art galleries provide visibility for the area’s array of established and up-and-coming artists.  Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach are popular vacation getaways for Roanokers, each within a reasonable drive. 

Students will find that Roanoke embraces an excellent record of public and private education within its six public school systems and several private schools.  There are over 19 colleges and universities within a 60-mile radius.  Virginia Tech, located within 45 miles of the Roanoke Valley, is ranked one of the nation’s top 50 research institutions.  Located on its campus is the newly opened Edward Via School of Osteopathic Medicine.  Other well-known institutions of higher education include Washington and Lee University, Virginia Military Institute, Roanoke College, Hollins University, and Radford University.  The University of Virginia Medical School in Charlottesville has residency extensions in area hospitals.  Many local physicians refer and consult with UVa Medical Center to the north, Bowman Gray and and Duke University Medical Centers to the south, and the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.

The area is served by the Roanoke Regional Airport’s four airlines, allowing convenient travel for both business and recreation.  Rated as one of America’s ten best places to raise a family by Parenting Magazine, this warm and friendly community allows you to enjoy affordable housing, a below average cost of living, low taxes and a very low crime rate, making it a delightful place to enjoy the quality of life you desire and worked to achieve.

For more information about our community, please visit: www.roanokeva.com, www.roanokechamber.org, www.visitroanokeva.com.