Why You Want to Live in Roanoke, Virginia

Where are the real reasons? These are all of the "you can skip to the store under a sky full of rainbows" crap. What about culture? What about diversity? What about intelligence of fellow inhabitants? What about work?

There is probably a reason that the median house price is only $140k instead of $250k or more --- because there are no jobs. Places that have a lot of high paying positions for educated professionals tend to be very expensive. If you want to pump gas, I'm sure Virginia is a lovely place.

My rebuttal to this article:

1. Not that I've seen. I've lived here since 1970, and I found that with the influx of a great number of people from the Northern US, people here simply don't exude friendliness at all.
People here are just as racially biased and closed minded to new ideas and change as they are in any small town trying to stay that way.

2. I've seen many restaurants fail here because of fear of foreign cuisine. It's fair to say that if you're not serving Italian, Chinese, or Tex-Mex, you definitely catering to the wrong crowd.

3. If you think it doesn't cost a fortune to live here, try doing so on a common man's salary, and not an M.D. position. Pay here has always been behind the national average.

4. Again, try to buy a house on the average salary that people make here. The current banking fiasco has made matters even worse. The only people who are 'making it', are those that homes that are paid for already or left to them by family, or have come here with cash from selling their homes elsewhere.

5. Are you absolutely insane? No traffic jams? You should try following me to work for a week and I'll show you some good old California highway hospitality. Roanoke is an old city with very poor layout. I've been telling friends for years that giving someone directions here is a living hell, because to get to anywhere from where you're at takes a minimum of 5 roads to get there. All of our on/off ramps to expressways and interstates are some of the shortest in the nation, with 25 MPH speed limits. Ever try to merge into 65+ MPH traffic coming off of one of these? I feel like I take my life in my own hands every day just trying to survive here. I live 10 miles from work as the crow flies, yet it takes me a minimum of 43 minutes to get there every morning.

6. We're currently experiencing a serious drought here as is all of the eastern seaboard. I've only mowed my brown dirt about 4 times so far this summer. Yet the humidity levels can hit 85% overnight. It's supposed to hit 91 degrees F today, and it's the middle of October.

7. The Blue Ridge parkway is extremely over-rated. Primarily a location for dumping murder victims and growing pot, it's favorite hangout for rapists and murderers. One recent incident has everyone extremely upset. The park service police setup a roadblock earlier this summer and was practically strip searching everyone who managed to encounter them. The issued a record number of tickets and arrests one weekend when there was a lot of traffic heading to and from a local bluegrass festival. If this
sounds like over-hype on my part, please take note that they managed to even hassle a local sheriff who was there with his family trying to enjoy the weekend. From what I have read, he filed a complaint against them himself.

8. Festivals here bring out some of the worst riff-raff, rednecks and other undesirables that our fair state has to offer. Nothing magical about those, sorry.


In conclusion, yes by all means come and settle in Roanoke. I'm sure you'll enjoy our ever increasing violence due to drugs, gang related crime, rapes and abductions. I recommend doing further independent study before even visiting here. Our local newspaper does it's best to conceal a lot of the underlying problems due to it's efforts to show Roanoke in a fairer light. But there are plenty of sources that can prove otherwise.

BTW, Kristie Leong it sounds like a beautiful fairytale you're living in. Where ever that's at.

By GREW_UP_HERE_AND_SUFFERED_ENOUGH.

P.S.

I forgot to mention that we average about 3 shootings a month in our general area. I also did a recent check of the sex-crime database maintained by our state police and found that there were no less that 300 individuals listed there for rape, domestic violence, or child molestation living in my own zipcode region. Two live on my street, only a couple blocks away. That should tell you what to expect if you try to move here.

I think this sounds like a wonderful place to live. Wouldn\'t you agree?

Man. I really thought Roanoke was a decent place. How big a deal was the incident out there when that cop ran into the guard-rail on I-81? Jiminy Crickett, that dude was plastered.

I agree with Rick. I being a former Virginia resident remember what living there was like. The scenery is beautiful, in places. Traffic is not bad, in the mountains. Cost of living is low, so is the average wage. I was making $6.50/hr. there and came to Tennessee doing the exact same thing for $10.50/hr. I do miss it there sometimes, but I can't live somewhere where my best possible home would be a trailer on the side of a mountain or a pay-by-the-week motel. Unless you own a farm or are a successful doctor, you live in squaller (did I spell that right?) or at least that's what it looks like from a distance.

I am not college educated by any means and I do quite well. I work for a local contractor and make well over the median income for Roanoke and significantly more than 10.50 an hour. Jobs are out there if you want one. All you need a little aptitude and a positive attitude and their is money to be made. I live downtown in one of the newly renovated/developed condo/apartment buildings and I love it. I\'ve been in Roanoke for six years after living all over the US and have found a great home here.

I feel the negative comments that have been posted are a little extreme and overly generalized. Roanoke has a lot to offer if you make a little effort with a positive attitude. And, let's be realistic here, there is no 100% perfect place to live. I can't help but wonder, if one has lived for 30 yrs+ in a place that disgusts them so much then why are they still here dragging everyone else down with their negativity?

Help us out?!?!?!
We are thinking of moving to Roanoke. I am a little scared off by some of comments I have found here.

I have been through Roanoke several times and have found it beautiful.

Which area is the best to live in? Which has less crime and supports young families?

Rick's comments are all a bit too intense. I'm not sure how he chooses to get to work, perhaps he drives around the mall parking lot for 33 minutes before heading to work.

Anyway, Roanoke is a great place to live; in 2004 it was ranked and rated as #11 best city in the nation. I suggest, if moving to the Roanoke area, Southwest Roanoke County and Southwest Roanoke City.

This is some Bs the 4 distinct seasons are a load of bull hockey now you have 3, SPring-winter( put it together) cold nighst warm days, then HOT STICKY NASTY HOT summer.. temps of up to and exxceeding 100+ then u have Summerfall, hot days semi cool nights and muddy grounds.

as far as friendliness... pffft where the hell did you go here? i've met a few good people but for the most part it kinda sucks.

The resturants... thats true.


the cost of living being nearly 20% lower.. yes thats true but the wages are about 25% lol... example, the average welder in a major metropolitan area makes as a starting wage, 20-25$ per hour depending on specialty. here in roanoke good luck finding one... then good luck getting a 15$ or better one. There are ups and downs too but dont expect people to flock to you and ask if you need help if your lost and dont expect a cold season. however we do have some Awsome festivals!

Roanoke is god-awful. I lived there for two years, and they were the most miserable, low-paid, bored and suicidal years of my life. The town is dying, every other house has a 'for sale' sign, there are VERY few jobs to be had, everyone is a closet racist (well, the courteous ones, at least.)

No music scene, no arts scene in comparison to any 'real' city. It becomes a ghost town at 8:00 pm every night, 'cause apparently everyone goes to work at 4:00 am.

For all I know, you may love it. All I know is that I hate Roanoke and always will. Leave it to the meth-heads and klansmen.

I'd have to agree with the negatives here. Roanoke is by far the most depressing place I've ever lived in. I came here thinking the geography would somehow attract alot of people who are into outdoor sports, etc. which tend to be somewhat adventurous, open-minded and fun people. Instead, this place turned out to be a very economically unstable, racism-promoting, and downright boring town.

Whenever I go back to the state where I originally grow up, I see thriving businesses and tons of expansions all over the place. This place is an economic ghost town. We have negative population growth, businesses are shutting down left and right, and most of the people here don't even care about it - they're too busy breathing through their mouths.

Roanoke absolutely sucks.