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Phenix vs Iron Gate

76 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.3× in Iron Gate) and average commute (18 min in Iron Gate).

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Phenix, VAHomes around $202KVirginia · 418 people

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Iron Gate, VAA small town of 426Virginia · 426 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.

PhenixHomes around $202K

Housing$202K typical home51% below the VA typical home All about Phenix →

Iron GateA small town of 426

Quiet strengthsIron Gate doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Iron Gate →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Street grid4.3×

Iron Gate has the more walkable street grid

Iron Gate 94.8Phenix 21.8

Average commute18 min

Iron Gate has the shorter commute

Phenix 44 minIron Gate 26 min

Property tax bill+35%

Tax bills are bigger in Iron Gate

Iron Gate $754Phenix $559

Jobs per worker+88%

Phenix is more of a job hub

Phenix 0.45Iron Gate 0.24

Homeowners+8.4 pts renters

Phenix has more renters

Iron Gate 91.9%Phenix 83.5%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Phenix

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%

Phenix$1,130/mo

Typical home $202K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $758/mo · Housing →

Iron Gate$510/mo

Typical home $85K (Census) · tax rate 0.89% · or rent about $715/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Phenix and Iron Gate.

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

C+PhenixBetter than 41% of districts in the state –Iron GateNot graded

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

PhenixIron Gate

Snow a year8″10″

January low27°F 23°F

July high87°F 84°F

Growing season (days)201d 172d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th 79th

Outdoors & history

PhenixIron Gate

Archive photos1 9

Famous people born here1 —

Community

PhenixIron Gate

Library hours a week16 hrs —

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

76 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PhenixVA Iron GateVA

Phenix ↔ Iron Gate76 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

PhenixIron Gate

People

Population 418Lowest 426Highest

Median age 43.7±24.4Highest 12% above VA 39.8±9.7Lowest about the VA average

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

Kids under 18 25.8%±7.9Highest VA: 21.7% 25.1%±9.1Lowest VA: 21.7%

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

Age 65+ 35.2%±14Highest VA: 16.7% 21.1%±4.6Lowest VA: 16.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.6%Highest VA: 42.2% 13.1%Lowest VA: 42.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.7%±3.3Lowest VA: 6.9% 1.9%±2.1Highest VA: 6.9%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,125±$36kHighest 22% below VA $70,000±$45kLowest 25% below VA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $129,200±$48kHighest 66% below VA $84,600±$6kLowest 78% below VA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $758±$82Highest 52% below VA $715±$257Lowest 55% below VA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $559Lowest 80% below VA $754Highest 73% below VA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.3%±100Lowest VA: 48.5% 81.8%±98.6Highest VA: 48.5%

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

Below poverty line 25.4%Highest VA: 9.9% 10.4%Lowest VA: 9.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.5%Lowest VA: 67.3% 91.9%Highest VA: 67.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1962Highest 22 yrs older than VA 1961Lowest 23 yrs older than VA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 44 minHighest 62% above VA 26 minLowest 5% below VA

Work from home 3.3%±2.9 VA: 18.3% 3.3%±5.7 VA: 18.3%

Work in townworking residents 1%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miHighest 19.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Highest 0.24Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Charlotte Court House (15%)Covington (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Iron GateFew work in Phenix

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 21.8Lowest 94.8Highest

Schools

School district Charlotte 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.

Phenix neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Phenix’s Town Square.

Iron Gate neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Iron Gate’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Phenix

Newsoms289 people · $165K homes

Boykins631 people · $192K homes

McKenney518 people · $212K homes

Burkeville488 people · $88K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Virginia towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.