Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Blacksburg, Virginia
In Virginia's Scenic Appalachian Mountains, Bucolic Blacksburg is Home to Virginia Tech and is a Classic College Town
Two thousand feet above sea level in southeastern Virginia's beautiful Appalachian Mountains, Blacksburg sits in the New River Valley and borders the Jefferson National Forest. Surrounded by woodlands and farmland, it is also home to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), which has 32,000 students.
Blacksburg is a quintessential college town. The University wields great influence and most events are school-related. Virginia Tech is primarily an engineering school, but its School of Performing Arts and the Music Department present dances and concerts. The inspiring VT Center for the Arts hosts jazz ensembles, poetry readings and more. Hokie athletics have rabid fans, and the town comes to a standstill during home football games. The pleasant downtown has been refurbished with red brick sidewalks, benches and Victorian street lamps. One hundred sixty retailers, eateries and art galleries are open for business. Just beyond city limits, outdoor recreation opportunities abound.
The good variety of restaurants caters to vegetarians and carnivores, and there is a downtown farmers' market. The city has a lot of student-oriented housing, but there are plenty of quiet residential neighborhoods with everything from beautiful custom homes to simple bungalows. Many residents work at VT or at one of the VT Corporate Research Center's numerous high-tech companies.
Population: 46,000 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 20%
Cost of Living: Meet the the national average
Median Home Price: $410,000
Climate: Blacksburg has a humid continental climate. Summer temperatures are in the 70s and 80s, and winter temperatures are in the 20s and 30s. On average, the area receives 40 inches of rain and 23 inches of snow each year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? Yes
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? Yes
Public Transit: Yes
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Public Library: Yes
Political Leanings: Liberal
College Educated: 73%
Is Virginia Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Somewhat
Cons: Blacksburg has a high poverty rate but this is due to the large student population.
Notes: Virginia Tech has a strong Greek system and a reputation as a party school, but many of the parties are in the frats and sororities. The entire town is wired, meaning a wi-fi internet connection can be found anywhere. Home prices have increased 4% since a year ago, and the population has grown 6% during the last decade.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? For people seeking a lively, progressive college town, yes.
Virginia:
The Commonwealth of Virginia is on the southern Atlantic coast. Nicknames include Old Dominion and Mother of Presidents (eight American presidents were born here). The motto for the state is Sic Semper Tyrannis, meaning Thus Always to Tyrants. This motto is on both the state's seal (designed in 1776) and the state's flag (first used in the 1830s).
The Virginia Company established the Colony of Virginia and Jamestown in 1607. The state was one of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy during the Civil War. Richmond was even named the Confederate capital. Today, the Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous legislative body in the Western world.
Western Virginia has a distictly rural, southern feeling while eastern Virgina is home to military installations and northern Virginia is where many Washington, D.C. lobbyists and government workers live.
The Blue Ridge Mountains, Chesapeake Bay, the Shenandoah Valley and miles of eastern shore beaches are Virginia highlights.
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