Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Roanoke, VA

    Is Roanoke a good place to live?

    Watch Roanoke

    Roanoke ranks #34 of 45 Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (39/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.5% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $180,500
    +11.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $964
    per month
    Household income
    $52,671
    median
    Unemployment
    5.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Roanoke

    The median home value in Roanoke is $180,500 and median rent is $964 a month, against a median household income of $52,671. Homes cost about 3.4× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Roanoke crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Virginia the 2025 rate was 210 violent and 1,394 property crimes per 100,000 people — #33 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Roanoke, VA

    Roanoke has about 98,677 residents, 5.5% unemployment and 18% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Roanoke with

    Roanoke vs Virginia BeachRoanoke vs ChesapeakeRoanoke vs ArlingtonRoanoke vs NorfolkRoanoke vs RichmondRoanoke vs Newport NewsRoanoke vs AlexandriaRoanoke vs Hampton

    More: Where to move in Virginia · Best counties in Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report