o

Home | Virginia | Below Average Costs

o
o
retire

Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!

o
o
o

 

o

o
o

Onancock, Virginia

A Charming Waterfront Town on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Onancock Features a Cute Downtown and a Nautical Vibe

On the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the Delmarva Peninsula is separated from the rest of the state by the Chesapeake Bay. It is on this stretch of land, which is full of marshes, streams and forests, that the charming little waterfront town of Onancock makes its home.

o
o

Chartered in 1680, this cozy, nautical place boasts a bounty of boating and kayaking opportunities, and the weathered wharf and marina are a particularly popular starting point for adventure. The cute downtown has one, two and three story red and blond brick buildings that house colorful bed and breakfasts, shops, galleries and restaurants, including the favorit Mallards at the Wharf. The Eastern Shore's only year-round theater, the North Street Playhouse, is also here, while the Historic Onancock School accommodates artists and galleries. The beautiful Ker Place hosts a museum and Virginia's Eastern Shore Historical Society. Parkers Marsh Natural Area Preserve is a birders' paradise, with 750 acres of marsh and beach, and Onancock Creek Landing Park has a floating dock and kayak launch.

o
o

Neighborhoods are low density and leafy with Cape Cods, bungalows, Victorians, Colonials and ranch ramblers. The Eastern Shore Art League offers outreach to seniors.

Population: 1,200 (city proper)

Percentage of Population Age 45 or Better:  50%

Cost of Living: 18% below the national average

Median Home Price: $325,000

Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 30s and 40s. On average, the area receives 43 inches of rain and 11 inches of snow each year.

Public Transit:   No

Crime Rate:   Below the national average

At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients?    No, but Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital is 18 miles south in Nassawadox and accepts Medicare patients. 

At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission?  No, but Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital is 18 miles south in Nassawadox and is accredited.

College Educated:   32%

Political Leanings: Conservative

Is Virginia Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement?     Somewhat

Cons:   Rising sea levels are a concern, as they are in all low-lying coastal areas.

Notes:  Onancock has been losing population over the last 20 years until about 2020, when the population started to rebound. Home prices have increased 6% since a year ago. The town is fairly isolated, with the nearest road crossing to the mainland 80 miles away. The water crossing involves a seasonal ferry to Tangier Island, a remote island in the middle of the Bay, and then a ferry from Tangier Island to the Virginia mainland. When the ferry is not running, residents can sometimes catch a ride on the mail boat.

o
o

Recommended as a Retirement Spot?   Yes, although the remote location should be weighed.

o
o

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.

o
o
o
o
o
o

o
o

Webwerxx, Inc. Copyright (c) 2006-2023. All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced in any way without the express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc. Reproducing any original part of this publication without written permission from Webwerxx, Inc. is plagiarism. Numerous attempts were made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this website, but some information may have changed since each article and/or report went online, and Webwerxx, Inc. is not liable for inaccurate information contained in its articles and/or reports.

o