Blacksburg vs Lynchburg
Blacksburg, Virginia versus Lynchburg, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Blacksburg and Lynchburg score about the same overall (56 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Blacksburg | Lynchburg |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $50k |
| Home Value | $388k | $196k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $972 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.84% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.42% | 10.77% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.0 in | 43.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.7 in | 12.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 253 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 17.9 | 24.7 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.9 | 54.2 |
| Violent Crime | 474/100k | 2329/100k |
| Property Crime | 588/100k | 2464/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,147 | 79,166 |
| Median Age | 21.7 | 28.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.38 | 0.53 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.22 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 75.7% | 61.1% |
| Black (%) | 4.7% | 27.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Asian (%) | 11.4% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 11.6/20 | 14.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 130 mi | 102 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 90.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 44.08 | 35.62 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Blacksburg or Lynchburg more affordable?
- Blacksburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Blacksburg's $48k and Lynchburg's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Blacksburg versus $972 in Lynchburg.
- Is Blacksburg or Lynchburg safer?
- Blacksburg has the lower violent crime rate. Blacksburg reports 474/100k and Lynchburg reports 2329/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Blacksburg or Lynchburg?
- The median home value is $388k in Blacksburg and $196k in Lynchburg, so homes are more affordable in Lynchburg.