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Accomac vs Ferrum

244 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (45× in Ferrum) and jobs per worker (10.6× in Accomac).

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Accomac, VAA regional job hubVirginia · 948 people

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Ferrum, VAKnown for its schoolsVirginia · 1,774 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

AccomacA regional job hub

Work1,285 jobsbased in Accomac, a regional job hub Housing$209K typical home50% below the VA typical home

HistorySettled in 17863 places on the National Register All about Accomac →

FerrumKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 88%of VA districts College town1 collegeFerrum College Housing$260K typical home37% below the VA typical home All about Ferrum →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Ferrum has more miles of trail

Ferrum 4.5 miAccomac 0.1 mi

Jobs per worker10.6×

Accomac is more of a job hub

Accomac 5.52Ferrum 0.52

Street grid7.8×

Accomac has the more walkable street grid

Accomac 59.0Ferrum 7.6

Work from home+22.8 pts

More people work from home in Ferrum

Ferrum 23.1%Accomac 0.3%

In college+44.8 pts

Ferrum is more of a college town

Ferrum 46.1%Accomac 1.3%

Growth since 2010+10.6 pts

Accomac has grown faster since 2010

Accomac 0%Ferrum -10.6%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $290 more a month in Ferrum

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Accomac$1,180/mo

Typical home $209K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.49% · or rent about $952/mo · Housing →

Ferrum$1,480/mo

Typical home $260K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.51% · or rent about $638/mo · Housing →

The difference: $290 a month, about $3,500 a year, between Ferrum and Accomac.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Virginia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

–AccomacNot graded AFerrumBetter than 88% of districts in the state

Health

–AccomacNot graded B+FerrumHealthier than 67% of U.S. towns

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

AccomacFerrum

Snow a year7″13″

January low30°F 26°F

July high88°F 87°F

Growing season (days)216d 188d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th 30th

Outdoors & history

AccomacFerrum

Conserved land—0%

Settled1786 —

National Register places3 1

Archive photos6 —

Famous people born here7 —

Community

AccomacFerrum

Colleges in town—1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

244 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AccomacVA FerrumVA

Accomac ↔ Ferrum244 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Virginia average

AccomacFerrum

People

Population 948Lowest 1,774Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census 0%Highest VA: +7.9% -10.6%Lowest VA: +7.9%

Median age 26.3±3.6Highest 33% below VA 21.8±0.8Lowest 44% below VA

Kids under 18 41%±21.5Highest VA: 21.7% 15.8%±7.1Lowest VA: 21.7%

Accomac and Ferrum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 7.2%±1.9 VA: 16.7% 7.2%±3.2 VA: 16.7%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.9%Lowest VA: 42.2% 29.1%Highest VA: 42.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.3%±2.3Lowest VA: 6.9% 46.1%±9.5Highest VA: 6.9%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $45,986±$8kHighest 51% below VA $40,435±$20kLowest 57% below VA

Accomac and Ferrum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $251,500±$96kHighest 34% below VA $188,900±$91kLowest 51% below VA

Accomac and Ferrum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $952±$15Highest 40% below VA $638±$304Lowest 60% below VA

Accomac and Ferrum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,222Highest 56% below VA $956Lowest 66% below VA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 84.9%±29Highest VA: 48.5% 43.9%±20.5Lowest VA: 48.5%

Accomac and Ferrum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 9.6%Lowest VA: 9.9% 37.1%Highest VA: 9.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 63.9%Lowest VA: 67.3% 69.5%Highest VA: 67.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1967Lowest 17 yrs older than VA 1996Highest 12 yrs newer than VA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 39% below VA 24 minHighest 14% below VA

Work from home 0.3%±0.6Lowest VA: 18.3% 23.1%±10.1Highest VA: 18.3%

Work in townworking residents 8.2%Highest 7.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 39.8 miHighest 14.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 5.52Highest 0.52Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Virginia Beach (4%)Rocky Mount (26%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FerrumFew work in Accomac

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.2%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 4.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.0Highest 7.6Lowest

Schools

School district —Franklin County Public Schools

High school in town —None in town

Virginia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Accomac neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Accomac’s Town Square.

Ferrum neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ferrum’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Accomac

Belle Haven836 people · $183K homes

Bloxom571 people · $133K homes

Onley678 people · $323K homes

Edinburg1,671 people · $232K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.