© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Blacksburg.
About
Life in Blacksburg
Living in Blacksburg means accepting that Virginia Tech isn't just here—it's woven into everything. The university drives the job market, influences housing prices and rental availability, and creates a younger-skewed demographic where nearly 57% of residents are between 18 and 24. Housing costs have risen noticeably, with median home values around $446,000 and median rent near $1,359 monthly, so affordability depends heavily on your income bracket.
Blacksburg at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
21.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
42.7%
Foreign-Born
14.6%
Broadband Internet
93.6%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.6% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Blacksburg: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Blacksburg, the largest foreign-born group is from India (18.3%), and 5.0% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
9.8%
of residents
65 and Older
7.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
18.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.7%
of households
Married Couples
32.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.54
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 14% below VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Blacksburg
In Blacksburg, rent runs 14% below the VA average, and home values are 16% above the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
37.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,460
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
35.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
18.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $412,880 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts above VA average
Unemployment in Blacksburg
Unemployment in Blacksburg is 1.2 percentage points higher than the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Blacksburg Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.8 min avg
How Blacksburg residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Blacksburg, most residents drive alone to work (51%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)
Regional airport · few flights417k passengers boarded in 2025
- 142 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 77% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Blacksburg runs 77% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
74.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
561
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Blacksburg Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
47.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Montgomery County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Montgomery County, which includes Blacksburg, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $37,000 |
| 2024 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $178,500 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $28,700 |
| 2022 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $93,200 |
| 2021 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $112,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Flash Flood | $86,500 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $33,100 |
| 2018 | 16 | Winter Storm | $775,200 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Montgomery County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Roanoke County, VA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 15 miles from Blacksburg) is typically good — 306 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
306
per year
Moderate Days
59
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Roanoke County, VA (15 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Blacksburg has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.0"
Annual Snowfall
24.7"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
125
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
136
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 3.23" |
| Feb | 45°F | 24°F | 2.83" |
| Mar | 53°F | 30°F | 3.78" |
| Apr | 64°F | 39°F | 3.77" |
| May | 72°F | 48°F | 4.47" |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 4.27" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.21" |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 3.57" |
| Sep | 76°F | 53°F | 3.45" |
| Oct | 66°F | 41°F | 2.91" |
| Nov | 55°F | 31°F | 2.85" |
| Dec | 45°F | 25°F | 3.30" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Blacksburg
Blacksburg has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Lewisgale Hospital Montgomery
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Carilion New River Valley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.6 mi away · Christiansburg
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Blacksburg
Blacksburg's student/teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 69.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
69.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Blacksburg
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Public · 4-year · 30,923 students · in-state tuition $16,450 · 87% graduate · median earnings $88,716 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 6,038 students · in-state tuition $12,952 · 59% graduate · median earnings $59,134 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Bluestone National Scenic River, 38 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Blacksburg
Blacksburg has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Bluestone National Scenic River (38 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Bluestone National Scenic River
National Scenic River
38 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
39 mi awayNew River Gorge National Park & Preserve
National Park & Preserve
54 mi awayGauley River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
74 mi awayGuilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
82 mi awayAppomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Blacksburg
Blacksburg Library
200 Miller Street, Blacksburg
Cities Near Blacksburg
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Blacksburg?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Blacksburg FAQ
Is Blacksburg, Virginia affordable?⌄
Blacksburg's median rent is $1,359/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $50,182/year. Median home value is $446,300.
Is Blacksburg, Virginia safe?⌄
Blacksburg's violent crime rate was 75 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 561 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Blacksburg, Virginia?⌄
Blacksburg has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Blacksburg, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Blacksburg is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,359/month and median household income is $50,182/year. The median home value is $446,300. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Blacksburg, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Blacksburg is 15 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from