The Town FilesBlue Ridge, Virginia
Community in Botetourt County · population 3,185 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $274,500
- Household income
- $75,871
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 45.7
Blue Ridge is a community of 3,185 people in Botetourt County, Virginia. The median home is worth $274,500, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for families than 98% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 73% of Virginia towns.
How Blue Ridge ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Blue Ridge is worth $274,500, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $75,871, which is more affordable than 63% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,287 a month. 93.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Blue Ridge | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $274,500 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,287 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $75,871 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 93.8% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Blue Ridge
| People | Blue Ridge | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.4% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.1% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 91.8% |
Weather in Blue Ridge
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 24.8°F. About 45.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blue Ridge since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 17, 2004 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 17, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 71 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 22, 2004.
Severe weather in Botetourt County since 1996
Botetourt County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 4, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4863: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| October 1, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4831: Tropical Storm Helene |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Botetourt County
Botetourt County had 11,729 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,347 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Blue Ridge itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Blue Ridge
- Cloverdale, VA4.8 mi · 3,410 people · home $359,900
- Daleville, VA5.6 mi · 3,070 people · home $370,100
- Hollins, VA7.6 mi · 15,574 people · home $244,300
- Vinton, VA8.1 mi · 8,059 people · home $190,900
- Roanoke, VA10.2 mi · 100,011 people · home $190,500
- Salem, VA14.4 mi · 25,346 people · home $258,600
- Cave Spring, VA14.7 mi · 26,755 people · home $325,800
- Bedford, VA17.1 mi · 6,657 people · home $222,500
Blue Ridge questions
Is Blue Ridge, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Blue Ridge scores better for retirees than 53% of Virginia towns and quieter than 66%. 18.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Blue Ridge?
The median owner-occupied home in Blue Ridge is valued at $274,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,871, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,287 a month.
What is the weather like in Blue Ridge?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 24.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.7 inches of precipitation a year and 11.4 inches of snow.
Does Blue Ridge get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blue Ridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 17, 2004. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)