The Town FilesRose Hill, Virginia
Community in Lee County · population 729 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 60.1
Rose Hill is a community of 729 people in Lee County, Virginia. It ranks quieter than 89% of Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Virginia towns, better for retirees than 70% of Virginia towns.
How Rose Hill 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
Median rent is $1,037 a month. 71.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rose Hill | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,037 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | — | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.0% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rose Hill
| People | Rose Hill | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.1 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 41.4% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 39.8% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.5% | 91.8% |
Weather in Rose Hill
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 25.9°F. About 52.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rose Hill since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 6, 1980 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 2, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on April 23, 1968.
Severe weather in Lee County since 1996
Lee County has been included in 20 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 Lee County
Lee County had 4,190 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,126 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Rose Hill itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Rose Hill
1 public school with 242 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Hill Elementary | PK-4 | 242 | 14.2 |
Towns near Rose Hill
- South Wallins, KY10.2 mi · 838 people · home $55,300
- Cawood, KY11.8 mi · 630 people · home $69,800
- Harlan, KY12.6 mi · 1,776 people · home $89,200
- Sneedville, TN12.7 mi · 1,282 people · home $151,000
- Loyall, KY13.0 mi · 638 people · home $75,900
- Jonesville, VA14.4 mi · 872 people · home $115,400
- Harrogate, TN16.3 mi · 4,400 people · home $203,900
- Evarts, KY17.1 mi · 859 people · home $71,400
Rose Hill questions
Is Rose Hill, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rose Hill scores better for retirees than 70% of Virginia towns and quieter than 89%. 41.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.1).
What is the weather like in Rose Hill?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 25.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.2 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does Rose Hill get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rose Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 6, 1980. 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)