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Living in
Cave Spring.
Cave Spring is an unincorporated community in Roanoke County, VA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Cave Spring
Cave Spring is a solid middle-to-upper-middle-class suburb with genuine economic stability—unemployment sits at just 3.1%, and median household income is around $88,000, which gives you a real sense of the financial health here. Housing costs are reasonable by suburban standards, with median home values around $326,000 and rent averaging $1,285 monthly, though you should expect those numbers to vary based on specific neighborhoods. The community is very family-oriented; nearly half of households are married couples, and about 27% have children, so schools and kid-friendly infrastructure matter here.
Cave Spring at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Foreign-Born
11.3%
Broadband Internet
92.8%
of households
Population Growth
0.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.3% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Cave Spring: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cave Spring, the largest foreign-born group is from India (21.9%), and 4.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.8%
of households
Married Couples
49.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
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 19% below VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Cave Spring
In Cave Spring, rent runs 19% below the VA average, and home values are 15% below the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
9.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,646
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for VA
Unemployment in Cave Spring
Unemployment in Roanoke County, which includes Cave Spring, is close to the VA average.
Unemployment rate
Cave Spring: Roanoke County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Roanoke County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Cave Spring Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20 min avg
How Cave Spring residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cave Spring, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)
Regional airport · few flights417k passengers boarded in 2025
- 115 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 148 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 52% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Roanoke County Police Department, which covers Cave Spring, runs 52% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
158.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
974.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Roanoke County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
52.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Roanoke County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Roanoke County, which includes Cave Spring, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | High Wind | $276,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $37,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,450 |
| 2022 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $34,400 |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $22,200 |
| 2020 | 14 | High Wind | $827,500 |
| 2019 | 21 | High Wind | $96,300 |
| 2018 | 20 | Flash Flood | $2.2M |
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
Roanoke County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Roanoke County, which includes Cave Spring, 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
Roanoke County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cave Spring has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
70°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.9"
Annual Snowfall
14.8"
Hot Days/Year
30
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
77
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 29°F | 3.17" |
| Feb | 51°F | 31°F | 2.89" |
| Mar | 59°F | 38°F | 3.51" |
| Apr | 70°F | 46°F | 3.49" |
| May | 77°F | 55°F | 4.31" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.66" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.28" |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 3.37" |
| Sep | 80°F | 59°F | 4.06" |
| Oct | 70°F | 48°F | 2.96" |
| Nov | 59°F | 38°F | 3.04" |
| Dec | 50°F | 32°F | 3.08" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cave Spring
Uninsured
3.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Cave Spring's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lewisgale Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Salem
Salem VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Salem
Carilion Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.9 mi away · Roanoke
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.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cave Spring
Cave Spring's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 48.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
48.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Cave Spring
Galen Health Institutes-Roanoke
Private for-profit · 2-year · 315 students · in-state tuition $17,984 · median earnings $69,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,767 students · in-state tuition $39,208 · 68% graduate · median earnings $64,329 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 665 students · in-state tuition $44,640 · 68% graduate · median earnings $48,102 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 630 students · in-state tuition $11,973 · 23% graduate · median earnings $31,618 (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: Booker T Washington National Monument, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cave Spring
Cave Spring has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Booker T Washington National Monument (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Booker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
17 mi awayBluestone National Scenic River
National Scenic River
58 mi awayAppomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
67 mi awayNew River Gorge National Park & Preserve
National Park & Preserve
70 mi awayGuilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
76 mi awayGauley River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cave Spring
South County Library
6303 Merriman Rd Sw, Roanoke
Cities Near Cave Spring
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cave Spring?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cave Spring FAQ
Is Cave Spring, Virginia affordable?⌄
Cave Spring's median rent is $1,285/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $87,539/year. Median home value is $325,800.
Is Cave Spring, Virginia safe?⌄
Cave Spring is policed by the Roanoke County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 158 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 974 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cave Spring, Virginia?⌄
Roanoke County, which includes Cave Spring, has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cave Spring, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Cave Spring is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,285/month and median household income is $87,539/year. The median home value is $325,800. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cave Spring, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Cave Spring is 20 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