Population 98,355 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Roanoke City
Household size in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.20 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Roanoke City is a place of small households, averaging 2.28 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.20, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Roanoke City are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 39.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in seven households in Roanoke City (13.5%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points, mirroring the country. Roanoke City has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Virginia counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Roanoke City
Renters in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.5% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.5% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Roanoke City than nationally: 47.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Just over four in ten owners (42.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Roanoke City: 12.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +6 |
Roanoke City is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Of Virginia's 133 counties, only two have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $675 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $721 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $861 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,018 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$344 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Roanoke City costs $1,018 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $344 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Roanoke City
Bachelor's degrees in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.4% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.7% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Roanoke City (29.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.5% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.1% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.7% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Roanoke City is close to the national rate: 89.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Virginia overall (91.6%). The share with a diploma is up 9.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Roanoke City
| Period | Roanoke City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Roanoke City is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. The rate is higher than in Virginia as a whole (4.3%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.6 points, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Roanoke City compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke City | 2.28 | 40.2 | 13.5% | 47.6% | 12.5% | 1959 | $1,018 | 29.7% | 89.7% | 5.4% |
| Roanoke County | 2.42 | 44.1 | 10.6% | 24.3% | 7.1% | 1979 | $1,242 | 37.1% | 94.6% | 2.8% |
| Salem City | 2.30 | 41.5 | 11.9% | 37.2% | 8.4% | 1967 | $1,235 | 33.7% | 93.7% | 3.3% |
| Montgomery County | 2.44 | 35.0 | 6.8% | 44.7% | 14.0% | 1987 | $1,257 | 49.3% | 96.3% | 3.1% |
| Bedford County | 2.47 | 47.1 | 6.7% | 15.3% | 9.6% | 1989 | $1,018 | 34.4% | 92.7% | 2.9% |
| Radford City | 2.44 | 31.1 | 5.2% | 57.7% | 15.9% | 1975 | $992 | 42.1% | 94.4% | 7.5% |
| Giles County | 2.49 | 44.9 | 5.5% | 21.1% | 19.0% | 1971 | $799 | 18.5% | 91.4% | 2.0% |
| Lynchburg City | 2.36 | 32.9 | 11.9% | 51.1% | 15.0% | 1971 | $1,081 | 43.4% | 92.0% | 6.0% |
| Campbell County | 2.47 | 43.9 | 10.1% | 25.1% | 12.9% | 1983 | $919 | 26.4% | 90.3% | 3.7% |
| Appomattox County | 2.50 | 43.8 | 12.3% | 24.2% | 11.2% | 1981 | $942 | 19.6% | 92.4% | 4.7% |
| Bland County | 2.27 | 47.0 | 6.0% | 13.5% | 23.0% | 1982 | $714 | 18.6% | 92.6% | 2.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Wicomico County, MD · Tompkins County, NY · Madison County, MS · Tuscarawas County, OH · Twin Falls County, ID · Victoria County, TX · Vigo County, IN · LaSalle County, IL · Warren County, NJ · Terrebonne Parish, LA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Roanoke City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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