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Wakefield vs Ferrum

166 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (5.7× in Wakefield) and trails (6.4× in Ferrum).

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Wakefield, VAKnown for its schoolsVirginia · 1,201 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.

WakefieldKnown for its schools

Schools#10 for schools in VAof 219 towns Health82% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$216K typical home48% below the VA typical home All about Wakefield →

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.

Street grid5.7×

Wakefield has the more walkable street grid

Wakefield 43.1Ferrum 7.6

Ferrum has more miles of trail

Ferrum 4.5 miWakefield 0.7 mi

In college+41 pts

Ferrum is more of a college town

Ferrum 46.1%Wakefield 5.1%

Work from home+16.9 pts

More people work from home in Ferrum

Ferrum 23.1%Wakefield 6.2%

Average commute16 min

Ferrum has the shorter commute

Wakefield 39 minFerrum 24 min

Typical home built25 yrs

Wakefield’s homes are older

Ferrum 1996Wakefield 1971

★ What stands out · 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

DWakefieldBetter than 14% of districts in the state AFerrumBetter than 88% of districts in the state

Health

C−WakefieldHealthier than 18% of U.S. towns B+FerrumHealthier than 67% of U.S. towns

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 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%

Wakefield$1,210/mo

Typical home $216K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.42% · or rent about $966/mo · Housing →

Ferrum$1,480/mo

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

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Ferrum and Wakefield.

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

WakefieldFerrum

Snow a year6″13″

January low28°F 26°F

July high90°F 87°F

Growing season (days)200d 188d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th 30th

Outdoors & history

WakefieldFerrum

Conserved land—0%

National Register places—1

Archive photos30 —

Famous people born here1 —

Community

WakefieldFerrum

Library hours a week27 hrs —

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

166 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WakefieldVA FerrumVA

Wakefield ↔ Ferrum166 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

WakefieldFerrum

People

Population 1,201Lowest 1,774Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -18.1%Lowest VA: +7.9% -10.6%Highest VA: +7.9%

Median age 30.6±12.3Highest 22% below VA 21.8±0.8Lowest 44% below VA

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

Kids under 18 15.5%±2Lowest VA: 21.7% 15.8%±7.1Highest VA: 21.7%

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

Age 65+ 18.1%±8.1Highest VA: 16.7% 7.2%±3.2Lowest VA: 16.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.5%Lowest VA: 42.2% 29.1%Highest VA: 42.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.1%±3.6Lowest VA: 6.9% 46.1%±9.5Highest VA: 6.9%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $62,386±$9kHighest 33% below VA $40,435±$20kLowest 57% below VA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $187,800±$20kLowest 51% below VA $188,900±$91kHighest 51% below VA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $966±$162Highest 39% below VA $638±$304Lowest 60% below VA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $791Lowest 72% below VA $956Highest 66% below VA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.7%±10.9Highest VA: 48.5% 43.9%±20.5Lowest VA: 48.5%

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

Below poverty line 7.8%Lowest VA: 9.9% 37.1%Highest VA: 9.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 69.8%Highest VA: 67.3% 69.5%Lowest VA: 67.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 13 yrs older than VA 1996Highest 12 yrs newer than VA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 39 minHighest 43% above VA 24 minLowest 14% below VA

Work from home 6.2%±5.2Lowest VA: 18.3% 23.1%±10.1Highest VA: 18.3%

Work in townworking residents 8.3%Highest 7.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miHighest 14.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.06Highest 0.52Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Suffolk (5%)Rocky Mount (26%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miLowest 4.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 mi 0.5 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 43.1Highest 7.6Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #10 of 219 in VA—

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.

Wakefield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wakefield’s Town Square.

Ferrum neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ferrum’s Town Square.

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Towns like Wakefield

Kenbridge1,432 people · $154K homes

Belle Haven836 people · $183K homes

Bowling Green1,561 people · $336K homes

Jarratt989 people · $217K 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.