What it's like to live in Danville
Danville is a small city in Virginia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Danville deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and hospital ratings below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High poverty rate
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Danville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Danville
Based on Danville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,672
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,440 a year
- 42% of Danville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$23,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $11,910
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 41% below US
$836/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $836 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $119,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $119,100 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 28% above US
5.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.5%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 10% below US
296 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2684/100k · Danville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 46% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (39 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Danville's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($836/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Danville
All Virginia guides →Moving to Martinsville →
26 mi away · pop. 13,658
Rent $808/mo · Income $46,727
Compare with Danville →Moving to Timberlake →
52 mi away · pop. 12,725
Rent $1,083/mo · Income $75,657
Compare with Danville →Not sure Danville is the one?
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