City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Roanoke, VA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Roanoke - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

98,677
Residents
$52,671
Median income
$180,500
Median home
$1,254
Median rent (state)

Roanoke - the verdict

Nationally, Roanoke sits in the 24th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

24th
percentile, household income
37th
percentile, home value
41st
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Roanoke, VA

Virginia's Roanoke is a small city, with 98,677 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Roanoke brings in $52,671 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.8%. Home values in Roanoke run a median of $180,500, and the median resident age is 38.0 years. About 28.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 113 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier. Roanoke's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4676.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 55.5°F with 45.7 inches of precipitation per year and 11.4 inches of snowfall.

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 101.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,254 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 72.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

98,677 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$52,671 /yr

Poverty 14.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Roanoke compare to other US cities?

Where Roanoke sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 37% pricier than other cities
Median rent 41% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Virginia and the picture shifts: Roanoke ranks #115 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Roanoke's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

24thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Roanoke's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Roanoke's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Roanoke's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Roanoke's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$180,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 63% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Roanoke $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Roanoke, VA Roanoke, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Roanoke, VA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Roanoke, VA median $52,671/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Roanoke, VA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Roanoke, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
98,677
Median Income
$52,671
Median Home Value
$180,500
Median Age
38.0
Poverty Rate
14.8%
Labor force participation
59.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4676.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
620.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4055.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.5°F
Annual Precipitation
45.7"
Annual Snowfall
11.4"

Schools

Total Schools
41
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
97,000 residents98,000 residents99,000 residents100,000 residents101,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 99,903 residents 99,111 residents ▼ -0.8%
Roanoke's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
113
housing units authorized
Single-Family
101
detached homes
Multifamily
12
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 278
2020 317
2021 393
2022 377
2023 107
2024 113

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.2%
Carpool
7.3%
Public Transit
2.4%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
10.7%
Other
2.0%

Based on 45,604 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Roanoke sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,254/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
72.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Portsmouth
97,299 people
Suffolk
96,638 people
Lynchburg
79,255 people
Dale
72,793 people
Centreville
71,885 people
Reston
63,542 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Roanoke's 98,677 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

New Braunfels, TX
98,700 people
Vista, CA
98,646 people
Boca Raton, FL
98,833 people
Yuma, AZ
98,461 people
Longmont, CO
98,958 people
Kenosha, WI
99,147 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Roanoke's $52,671 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Calipatria, CA
$52,672 median income
Prairie du Chien, WI
$52,670 median income
Trommald, MN
$52,667 median income
Mount Carmel, PA
$52,667 median income
Beulah Valley, CO
$52,664 median income
Bloomfield, KY
$52,679 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Roanoke, VA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Roanoke, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 57.5% 29.0% 7.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.6% White 57.5% Black or African American 29.0% Asian 3.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.4% Two or more races 7.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Roanoke compares to nearby Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Roanoke (this city) 98,677 $52,671
Portsmouth 97,299 $58,972
Suffolk 96,638 $90,089
Lynchburg 79,255 $59,808
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Roanoke, VA?

What is the population of Roanoke, VA? +

98,677 people live in Roanoke, VA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Roanoke, VA? +

Roanoke households earn a median of $52,671 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Roanoke? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Roanoke; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Roanoke, VA safe? +

Roanoke has a total crime rate of 4676.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Roanoke, VA? +

Homes in Roanoke carry a median value of $180,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Roanoke? +

Roanoke has an average annual temperature of 55.5°F, 45.7 inches of precipitation, and 11.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.