Roanoke and Lynchburg 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
Roanoke
Lynchburg
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
37 · Bottom 29%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
77 · Top 13%
vs75 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 25%
vs76 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 43%
vs95 · Top 49%
Access
45 · Bottom 9%
vs36 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
55 · Top 45%
vs49 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Roanoke | Lynchburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 314,986 | 263,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,761 | $68,996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,698 | $35,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 169/sq mi | 124/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $251,400 | $239,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,043 | $991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.6% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 994 | 996 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.8% | -11.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.8" | 42.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 82 mi | 96 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.0 | 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: Roanoke, VA Metro Area · Lynchburg, VA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology