Lynchburg and Roanoke receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Lynchburg
Roanoke
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Climate
75 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 13%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 49%
vs92 · Bottom 43%
Access
36 · Bottom 5%
vs45 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 49%
vs55 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Lynchburg | Roanoke | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 263,798 | 314,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,996 | $68,761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,668 | $40,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 124/sq mi | 169/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $239,700 | $251,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $991 | $1,043 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 68.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 31.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 11.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 996 | 994 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.2% | -23.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.8" | 42.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 96 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Lynchburg, VA Metro Area · Roanoke, VA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology