ROANOKE COUNTY
County Offices
5204 Bernard Drive SW
Roanoke 540-772-2004
www.roanokecountyva.gov
Chamber of Commerce
611 East Main Street
Salem 540-387-0267
www.s-rcchamber.org
Newcomers to Roanoke County will discover a regional hub of commerce, healthcare, education, and cultural amenities. At the same time, they can look forward to a relaxed lifestyle with exceptional recreational opportunities in the nearby Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. Few locales in the nation can rival this region for its blend of gracious southern living with robust economy and rich amenities.
Residents of Roanoke County enjoy short commutes to major employment centers, regardless of the neighborhood or intimate community they call home. Known for its friendly atmosphere and welcoming spirit, the region contrasts a proud heritage rich in early American history with some of the nation’s most exciting high-tech business ventures. Historic districts and farmer’s markets blend with cutting-edge technology in modern business parks, groundbreaking research centers, and award-winning educational facilities.
Roanoke County is making headlines as an emerging leader in advanced technology and biomedical research. Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia have partnered with the major healthcare player Carilion to form the Carilion Biomedical Institute for the research, development, and marketing of heath-related products. Virginia Tech also launched the Franklin Biotechnology Center to explore the exciting new field of bioinformatics. At every turn, high-tech innovation, telecommunication companies, service industries, and emerging technologies are driving the economy to new heights.
Services
The Roanoke Valley is frequently recognized and openly praised as one of the best locations in the nation to raise a family. Accolades for this area include “least stressful” and one of the healthiest places to live. Roanoke County has earned a variety of municipal excellence awards, including excellence in library services and budgeting. Transportation efficiencies include an outstanding interstate system, modern jet airport with international connections, and a major rail hub. Residents enjoy easy access to first-rate educational and healthcare institutions and services.
Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke makes it possible for students to earn college credit while still in high school, providing an affordable start on a college degree or many vocational, career, and training programs. Salem is home to Roanoke College, a Lutheran-affiliated private college of national repute. Roanoke offers ECPI Technical College and Hollis College, both private institutions. The pinnacle of innovation and opportunity is the Roanoke Higher Education Center, which encompasses a consortium of 16 regional colleges, universities, and educational organizations to offer hundreds of programs close to home.
State-of-the-art healthcare institutions that serve the Roanoke Valley are anchored by major hospitals and medical centers in Roanoke and Salem. The flagship hospital for the Carilion System combines with the Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital to offer more than 830 beds and the region’s only Level I Trauma Center in Roanoke. Salem’s Lewis-Gale Medical Center provides another quality network of facilities and specialties, including Regional Centers of Excellence. Salem is also home to the region’s Veterans Medical Center. Skilled professionals and private practice clinics dot the area, ensuring convenient access to routine and advanced care.
Lifestyle
From the homespun pleasures of country living and roadside stands with farm-fresh produce to Roanoke City’s energetic downtown district and historic market, the county offers the best of all worlds. Living in a valley encircled by mountains and dotted with lakes, residents enjoy virtually unlimited access to outdoor adventure and four-season recreation. The national treasures of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail wind past the Roanoke Valley for the ultimate in scenic splendor.
Golf courses, tennis courts, lush parks, active recreation departments, and special programs for all ages and interests fill leisure hours with quality activity. Roanoke County has also emerged as a regional center for national sports competition, including NCAA collegiate thrills. When shopping is the game, modern malls filled with name-brand merchandise combine with charming historic districts, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and antique treasure hunts.
Boasting a strong cultural community, Roanoke County provides a calendar filled with performances and productions. Residents don’t have to travel to Richmond to enjoy symphony, opera, Broadway shows, Shakespeare productions, professional choruses, and first-rate theatre. Colorful festivals and celebrations sprinkle family fun into leisure hours, attracting regional visitors as well as bring together friends and neighbors. With its exceptional quality of life, little wonder that Roanoke County is populated with residents who can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Southwest County
Roanoke County surrounds the cities of Roanoke, Salem, and Vinton, creating a natural distinction between the northern and southwestern areas. Handsome residential developments combine with high-ranking schools in this scenic area, where respected builders have taken advantage of superb vistas, wooded terrain, and lush greenery. Newcomers will find upscale golf and country club communities that attract many professionals and executives to homes that range from rambling brick ranches to elegant mansions.
Extensive developments like Canterbury Park encompass several neighborhoods with distinctive architectural themes and a wide range of price ranges and home sizes. Whether you choose the heavily wooded Penn Forest, the spectacular Blue Ridge scenery of The Groves, fine older communities like Sugarloaf and Castle Rock, or a new colonial on a one-acre lot in Zeigler Downs—Southwest County accommodates every lifestyle.
North County
The extensive development of southern Roanoke County and the close proximity of the mountains as a natural boundary have driven the focus of new development into North County. Much of the business and industry boom is occurring in this northern region, spurring beautiful new residential development as well. Living in close proximity to employment centers is a major draw to the subdivisions and residential communities of North County.
Some communities like Buckland Forest and Bentley Park enjoy close proximity to Interstate 81 as well as the airport and bustling industries. Easy access to the recreational opportunities of Windsor Lake and a private swim club is one of the attractions to North Lakes. Many exclusive neighborhoods offer elegant colonials and stunning ranches on sculpted lots, while other residential developments mix architectural styles and price ranges to appeal to first-time buyers as well as executives.
