Altavista is an incorporated town in Campbell County, Virginia, United States. The town is in the Lynchburg Metropolitan Area, with a population of 3,378 in the 2020 census. It was founded in 1907 by John Edward Lane and Henry L. Lane of the Lane Company, and was chartered in September 1912.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Altavista ranks

All →

#11Most affordable in VA #13Lowest property tax in VA #31Cheapest rent in VA All VA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code24517

Area code434

Living in Altavista

Housing in Altavista

$204K≈ same as a year ago Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Altavista home is worth about $204,000, about the same as a year ago, 51% below the Virginia typical home.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market17

Sale-to-list97.3%

Sold in May5

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Altavista

C⁻

Safety Grade C-

Altavista reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 84% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Altavista 2.1

Virginia 2.1

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Altavista 31.3

Virginia 13.9

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Altavista

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Altavista for work: only 19% work in town. The top destinations are Lynchburg (19%), Rustburg (5%) and Forest (3%). Half commute less than 19 miles.

Lynchburg

19%

Rustburg

Forest

Timberlake

19%Work in townlive and work in Altavista 19 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 3,066Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Altavista →

Health in Altavista

C⁻

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 16% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 36% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Virginia

1better than VA·19worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 12 are too close to call.

Conditions 9▼ 3 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▲ 1▼ 5 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

80.7%More adults treating high blood pressureVA 76.8% · better 18.4%More older adults who have lost all their teethVA 11.1% · worse

Care nearby

Centra Bedford Memorial HospitalBedford · 20.3 mi · ER

Rustburg Community Health CenterRustburg · 14.7 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Altavista · CMS · HRSAHealth in Altavista →

Natural hazards in Altavista

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 41% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding

8Does Altavista flood?paid flood claims since 1995 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Altavista

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Altavista →

Climate in Altavista

Full climate →

Altavista has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

49° / 28°Winter

68° / 44°Spring

85° / 64°Summer

69° / 46°Fall

How much snow does Altavista get?About 12 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 24, with the last in spring around Apr 15.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.0° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Altavista →

Schools in Altavista

All Altavista schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Altavista’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 71% of Virginia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

See how Altavista’s schools compare in VA →

DistrictCampbell County Public SchoolsSchools2

Altavista Elementary B-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 497 students Altavista High C+High · Grades 6–12 · 606 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within VA. Ratings are from neighbors.