Lynchburg vs Roanoke
Lynchburg, Virginia versus Roanoke, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lynchburg and Roanoke score about the same overall (53 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lynchburg | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $43k |
| Home Value | $196k | $162k |
| Monthly Rent | $972 | $917 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 1.06% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.77% | 11.02% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 38°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6 in | 42.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 12.4 in | 14.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 253 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 24.7 | 31.5 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.2 | 63.7 |
| Violent Crime | 2329/100k | 3445/100k |
| Property Crime | 2464/100k | 4301/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 79,166 | 99,213 |
| Median Age | 28.4 | 38.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.53 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.88 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+26 |
| White (%) | 61.1% | 57.0% |
| Black (%) | 27.4% | 28.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.7% | 6.9% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 3.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 14.5/20 | 14.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 102 mi | 116 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.3% | 82.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 35.62 | 30.54 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
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 Lynchburg or Roanoke more affordable?
- Roanoke has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Lynchburg's $50k and Roanoke's $43k. Median rent is $972 in Lynchburg versus $917 in Roanoke.
- Is Lynchburg or Roanoke safer?
- Lynchburg has the lower violent crime rate. Lynchburg reports 2329/100k and Roanoke reports 3445/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lynchburg or Roanoke?
- The median home value is $196k in Lynchburg and $162k in Roanoke, so homes are more affordable in Roanoke.