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Compare towns

Roanoke vs Hampton

202 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.6× in Roanoke) and rent (+43% in Hampton).

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Roanoke, VAA history townVirginia · 98,355 people
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Hampton, VAA colonial town, settled 1610Virginia · 137,557 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.

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.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Roanoke places higher on 15 of 26 VA lists

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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Roanoke$1,700/mo
Typical home $279K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $996/mo · Housing →
Hampton$1,700/mo
Typical home $282K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $1,427/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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
RoanokeHampton
Snow a year15″3″
January low29°F32°F
July high88°F87°F
Growing season (days)210d238d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th18th
Outdoors & history
RoanokeHampton
Conserved land7.6%2%
Settled18521610
National Register places6531
Archive photos1123
Community
RoanokeHampton
Library hours a week52 hrs56 hrs
Colleges in town12
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

202 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Roanoke ↔ Hampton202 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.

RoanokeHampton
People
Population 98,355Lowest 137,557Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.1%Highest VA: +7.9% -0.2%Lowest VA: +7.9%
Median age 38.3±0.5Highest about the VA average 36.8±0.2Lowest 6% below VA
Kids under 18 22.6%±0.8Highest VA: 21.7% 21.5%±0.6Lowest VA: 21.7%
Roanoke and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.8%±0.8Highest VA: 16.7% 16.7%±0.7Lowest VA: 16.7%
Roanoke and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30%Highest VA: 42.2% 28.5%Lowest VA: 42.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.1%±0.6Lowest VA: 6.9% 7.5%±0.7Highest VA: 6.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,378±$2kLowest 41% below VA $69,621±$2kHighest 25% below VA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $190,500±$7kLowest 50% below VA $245,700±$5kHighest 36% below VA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $996±$30Lowest 37% below VA $1,427±$35Highest 10% below VA
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,893Lowest 32% below VA $2,327Highest 17% below VA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.3%±3.4Lowest VA: 48.5% 57.3%±3.7Highest VA: 48.5%
Below poverty line 18.3%Highest VA: 9.9% 12.7%Lowest VA: 9.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 52.4%Lowest VA: 67.3% 56.9%Highest VA: 67.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 26 yrs older than VA 1974Highest 10 yrs older than VA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 30% below VA 23 minHighest 18% below VA
Work from home 11.8%±1.5Highest VA: 18.3% 10.4%±1Lowest VA: 18.3%
Roanoke and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 43.3%Highest 24.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 4.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.63Highest 0.87Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Salem (9%)Newport News (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HamptonFew work in Roanoke
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.6%Highest 2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 53.6 miHighest 37.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 47Highest 24Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.8Highest 30.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #162 of 219 in VA#91 of 219 in VA
School district Reg Alternative Plus Self Project/Roanoke City · Roanoke Valley Governor's SchoolNew Horizons Career and Technical Center · Hampton City Public Schools
High school in town Patrick Henry HighBethel High
Students per teacherat that high school 13.9Lowest 14.9Highest
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.

Roanoke neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Roanoke’s Town Square.

Hampton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hampton’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Roanoke

Towns like Roanoke

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.

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