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Living in
Stuarts Draft.
Stuarts Draft is an unincorporated community in Augusta County, VA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Stuarts Draft
Stuarts Draft is a community of 11,920 people in Virginia. The median household income is $79,332, median rent runs about $1,201 per month, and median home values are around $294,300. Unemployment is low at 2.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Stuarts Draft at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Foreign-Born
2.5%
Broadband Internet
90.0%
of households
Median household income
Demographics2.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Stuarts Draft: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Stuarts Draft, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (42.4%), and 3.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.2%
of residents
65 and Older
22.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.0%
of households
Married Couples
50.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
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 24% below VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Stuarts Draft
In Stuarts Draft, rent runs 24% below the VA average, and home values are 23% below the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
33.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,411
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $360,066 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below VA average
Unemployment in Stuarts Draft
Unemployment in Augusta County, which includes Stuarts Draft, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the VA average.
Unemployment rate
Stuarts Draft: Augusta County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Augusta County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Stuarts Draft Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.5 min avg
How Stuarts Draft residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Stuarts Draft, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 mi
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD)
Regional airport · few flights8,470 passengers boarded in 2025
- 100 mi
Richmond International Airport (RIC)
Medium hub2.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 107 mi
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Major hub13.9M 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 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, which covers Stuarts Draft, runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
86
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
753.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Augusta County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 30 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
68.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Augusta County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Augusta County, which includes Stuarts Draft, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 30 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | Winter Weather | $108,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $127,000 |
| 2023 | 20 | Winter Weather | $303,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $303,000 |
| 2021 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,000 |
| 2020 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $242,000 |
| 2019 | 41 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 48 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
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
Augusta County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Albemarle County, VA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 26 miles from Stuarts Draft) is typically good — 294 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
294
per year
Moderate Days
69
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Albemarle County, VA (26 mi away)
Climate84°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Stuarts Draft has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.3"
Annual Snowfall
22.3"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
120
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 23°F | 3.16" |
| Feb | 48°F | 25°F | 2.80" |
| Mar | 55°F | 31°F | 4.11" |
| Apr | 66°F | 40°F | 3.94" |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 3.59" |
| Jun | 82°F | 59°F | 4.47" |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 3.68" |
| Aug | 85°F | 61°F | 3.69" |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 5.46" |
| Oct | 68°F | 43°F | 3.41" |
| Nov | 56°F | 33°F | 4.03" |
| Dec | 47°F | 27°F | 2.99" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Stuarts Draft
Uninsured
4.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Stuarts Draft's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Augusta Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Fishersville
Western State Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 7.4 mi away · Staunton
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.
Education15.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Stuarts Draft
Stuarts Draft's student/teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 22.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Stuarts Draft (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,090 students · in-state tuition $35,357 · 65% graduate · median earnings $48,703 (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: Shenandoah National Park, 45 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Stuarts Draft
Stuarts Draft has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Shenandoah National Park (45 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Shenandoah National Park
National Park
45 mi awayAppomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
46 mi awayGreen Springs
National Park Site
46 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
74 mi awayCedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park
National Historical Park
79 mi awayFredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park
National Military Park
87 mi awayMaggie L Walker National Historic Site
National Historic Site
93 mi awayPrince William Forest Park
Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Stuarts Draft
Stuarts Draft Library
2857 Stuarts Draft Hwy Suite 107, Stuarts Draft
Cities Near Stuarts Draft
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Stuarts Draft?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Stuarts Draft FAQ
Is Stuarts Draft, Virginia affordable?⌄
Stuarts Draft's median rent is $1,201/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $79,332/year. Median home value is $294,300.
Is Stuarts Draft, Virginia safe?⌄
Stuarts Draft is policed by the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 86 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 754 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Stuarts Draft, Virginia?⌄
Augusta County, which includes Stuarts Draft, has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Stuarts Draft, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Stuarts Draft is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,201/month and median household income is $79,332/year. The median home value is $294,300. About 33% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Stuarts Draft, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Stuarts Draft 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