Best Places for Business and Careers 2019

Roanoke, VA

Roanoke, VA
the place image

Roanoke, VA

Roanoke, VA
Select A Profile
gross metro product
$19.4B
population
314.2K
median household income
$55,327
median home price
$218,000
cost of living
7% below nat'l avg
college attainment
27.6%
net migration
270 (year: 2018)
unemployment
3%
major industries
Health care, Education
job growth
0.6% (year: 2018)
As of October 2019
population
100.0K
median home price
$225,000
cost of living
84
As of May 2022
Roanoke's status as the largest city in a mountainous area led to the nickname Capital of the Blue Ridge, while the Roanoke River also flows through the city. The city is home to Hollins University Virginia, Western Community College, Jefferson College of Health Sciences, and satellite educational facilities of Virginia Tech located in neighboring Montgomery County. Center in the Square, a downtown cultural site, houses the History Museum of Western Virginia, the Science Museum of Western Virginia and the Hopkins
Planetarium. Roanoke's festivals and cultural events include the Chili Cook-Off, Festival in the Park, Local Colors Festival, Henry Street Festival, Big Lick Blues Festival and Strawberry Festival. Roanoke and surrounding communities also host the annual Commonwealth Games of Virginia, an Olympic-style amateur sports festival.
... Read More
On forbes lists
Best Places to Retire 2022Dropped off in 2023
#13
In Cost of Doing Business
#185
In Job Growth
#139
In Education
By The Numbers
EmploymentHousingEducationQuality of Life
Job Growth
0.6% (year: 2018)
Projected Annual Job Growth
0.5%
Unemployment
3%
Median Household Income
$55,327
Household Income Growth
2.6%
High-Tech Employment
1.9%
  • Data is for the metro area
  • Sources: Moody's Analytics; Sperling's BestPlaces; U.S. Census.
  • Numbers as of October 2019


  • a - Value of 100 means that a family with the median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a typical mortgage on a median-priced single-family home. An index above 100 signifies that the family has surplus income.
Key Connections
People
Companies

More on Forbes