Roanoke, VA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Roanoke, VA: What You Need to Know

Roanoke in western Virginia used to be called Big Lick. Today it’s known as Star City for the 100-foot-high illuminated star atop Mill Mountain, the world's largest man-made standing star.

The Local History

Roanoke’s original name stemmed from the area’s salt marshes (also called licks). It was the first village in the Roanoke Valley. When the Shenandoah Valley Railroad came in 1882, Big Lick was renamed Roanoke for the river and the county. Roanoke was derived from the Native American word “rawrenock," referring to a type of shell beads. Roanoke became a crossroads for the railroad, which became the Norfolk and Western Railway. The town grew rapidly leading to its charter as a city in 1884.

The Cost of Living in Roanoke

You’ll be able to stretch your dollar if you’re moving to Roanoke (population: 99,143) where the cost of living is 9.5% lower than the national average. Likewise, food and housing costs are 27.4% and 10.8% lower than the national average respectively. Median gross rent in Roanoke is $799 while the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $904. Virginia’s progressive income tax rate is 2% for low earners and up to 5.75% for high earners. 

Know Your Neighborhoods

More than 2,500 people call downtown home. One of the biggest advantages for them is convenience – great shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues right outside their front door. Looking for your suburban haven? Cave Spring, Cloverdale, and Salem are a hop, skip, and a jump from Roanoke. They all have good schools and amenities. Cave Spring and Salem have large numbers of renters. 

Things to Do in Roanoke

The city’s most popular attraction is the Roanoke Star, originally meant as a Christmas decoration back in 1950. Roy C. Kinsey and his two sons designed the star, which stands 1,847 feet above sea level and towers 1,045 feet above the city. It’s composed of three stars combined as one with 2,000 feet of neon tubes. If you fancy a bit of culture, visit the Taubman Museum of Art. Its permanent collection features the works of Thomas Eakins, John Singer Sargent, and Purvis Young. The museum has 11 galleries and presents 15 to 20 exhibitions annually. For outdoorsy visitors, Explore Park’s hundreds of acres of rolling hills, pristine woodlands, hiking trails, and river frontage never fail to delight. The park also has zip lines and two campgrounds.

Schools and Education

Roanoke offers plenty of choices for college-age students, with 62 colleges and universities within 100 miles of the city. Roanoke College (2,014 students), Jefferson College of Health Sciences (1,128 students), and Virginia Western Community College (6,827 students) are the closest. For younger students, Roanoke has 26 public schools serving 13,788 students.