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Lynchburg, Virginia
Leisurely Lynchburg, Virginia
Beckons with its Leafy
Neighborhoods, Historic
Sensibility and Reasonably Priced Homes
Cost of Living: Below the National Average
Lynchburg (population 80,000) sits amid rolling hills along the banks of the James River in central Virginia. It is an affordable small city that often lands on "Best Places to Live" lists. Founded in 1757 and named after John Lynch, a young entrepreneur who started a ferry service, this quiet place once had a rowdy reputation (attributed to a lack of churches) and was at one time one of America's wealthiest cities. It was the only major Virginia town not to fall to the North during the Civil War, and it was the spot that Thomas Jefferson chose to build Poplar Forest, his minimalist but elegant personal retreat.
Today, Lynchburg boasts a easygoing pace and an unassuming Southern character. Thirty-seven percent of its population is age 45 or better, and 34% of residents have at least a four year college degree. The crime rate is below the national average, and the cost of living is 27% below the national average. Politics lean to the right.
The median home price is $260,000, reflecting a 7% increase from last year. Neighborhoods are leafy and tidy, and standing tall throughout many of them are fine examples of Italian Renaissance, Federal, Georgian, Jeffersonian, Queen Anne, Federal and Colonial architecture. Many homes are also simple red brick ranch ramblers and bungalows.
Virginia is mostly friendly when it comes to taxes and retirement. It does not tax Social Security, and taxpayers age 65 and better may claim a retirement income deduction of up to $12,000 if they have a modified AGI of less than $62,000 (single) or less than $87,000 (married). Retirement income above $12,000 is taxed between 2% and 5.75%. Long term care insurance premiums are deductible. The average effective property tax rate (the annual tax payment as a percentage of median home value) in Lynchburg is .98%. The annual taxes on a $260,000 home are approximately $2,548. The combined sales tax is 9.5%.
Lynchburg, sometimes called "Hill City" for its hilly terrain, is in a pretty location with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. The downtown is small but attractive with shops, banks, bookstores and coffeehouses nestled along tree-lined streets. Old industrial buildings sport modern facades, and the inviting River Walk path meanders along the James River not far from downtown.
The 56-acre Percival's Island Natural Area is a popular park right in the middle of the river. In 2006 the city even won a Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for its preservation efforts.
The downtown, however, is not just about shops and preservation. The most prominent feature is the distinctive Monument Terrace, stretching from Church Street up a hill to Court Street. It uses the landings of its 139 steps to commemorate the Lynchburg citizens who fought and died in the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and current conflicts.
Lynchburg is home to five colleges, including the University of Lynchburg and Liberty University. Most of these institutions are small, but Liberty University has 15,000 students on campus, another 95,000 students online and is the largest Christian evangelical university in the world. It wields considerable social and political clout throughout the city and even buses its students to polling places so that they vote in local, state-wide and national elections.
Nightlife is not robust, but the Ellington Fellowship Playhouse hosts musical acts, primarily jazz ensembles. The Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra has a limited schedule but receives good reviews. Opera on the James presents three operas a season. The Academy Center of the Arts hosts live performances and offers classes.
History is a top Lynchburg draw, with reminders of the past all around. In fact, the city has 40 structures on the National Registry of Historic Places. Just outside of town, Appomattox Courthouse, where General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant in 1865, is a must for any history buff. The Old City Cemetery has an extensive section of Confederate graves and an interesting, if somewhat gruesome, medical museum.
Booker T. Washington's birthplace, with a recreated farm and slave cabin, is worth a visit. The Natural Bridge, a 215-foot natural stone arch bought by Thomas Jefferson from King George in 1774, is a fun excursion. Jefferson's wonderful Poplar Forest is open for tours.
The surrounding mountains peek through the haze, and the drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway is always a treat. Also nestled in the mountains are numerous wineries and vineyards. The University of Lynchburg and Liberty University both have athletic teams, and the Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team and the farm team for the Cleveland Indians.
Lynchburg has a few events as well. The James River Batteau Festival in June is a week-long event that celebrates the flat-bottom wooden craft that hauled tobacco downstream in John's Lynch's day. Garden Day is part of Historic Garden Week in Virginia, the largest house and garden tour in the country.
The dining scene includes a number of very good restaurants, including Rivermont Pizza and the Shoemakers Grille, which has an open air courtyard overlooking the river.
The city also boasts the Lynchburg Community Market, the third oldest farmers' market in the country. For shoppers, there are strip malls, a small indoor mall with national retailers.
The Park and Recreation Department's Fifty Plus Program has a good selection of services and activities for people age 50 or better. The Commander Templeton Senior Center has a good selection of activities. Meals on Wheels is also active.
The Lynchburg Public Library boasts an interlibrary loan program, a book discussion group, a public law library, genealogy department and public computers. It also has plenty of volunteer opportunities.
Lynchburg General Hospital (358 beds) is accredited by the Joint Commission, is a Primary Stroke Center and is a Level II Adult Trauma Center. It is award winning for excellence in patient safety, overall patient experience, joint replacement, general surgery and more and has been named a Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital by Thomson Reuters. It accepts Medicare patients. For military veterans, Lynchburg has a VA outpatient clinic, but the closest VA hospital is in Richmond, 100 miles to the east.
The public bus system (GLTC) offers regular, fixed-route service ($1.00 to $2.00) as well as a para-transit service ($4.00 one way). People age 65 and better ride for half price.
Lynchburg has a humid, four-season climate with hot summers and cool winters. July temperatures are in the 70s, 80s and 90s, while winter temperatures are in the 20s, 30s and 40s. On average, the area receives 40 inches of snow and 18 inches of rain per year. The sun shines 220 days of the year.
For all of its pluses, a Lynchburg retirement has a couple of drawbacks. It is off the major airline route system and expensive to reach via airplane. The hilly terrain can take its toll on mature knees.
So, while Lynchburg is not a perfect, its quiet streets, tree-lined neighborhoods, sense of history and pretty setting make for an affable city. Thomas Jefferson was happy here, and so, too, it seems, are today's retirees who have chosen it as their home.
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