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EllistonVirginia
Virginia›Montgomery County
Photo of Elliston

Elliston, VA · Photo: DwayneP (talk). The original uploader was DwayneP at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗

Is Elliston a good place to live?

Its National Register listings include Madison Farm Historic and Archeological District and Big Spring Baptist Church. Elliston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

What makes Elliston stand out

Where Elliston beats most towns.

Small town

952 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
LafayetteLafayetteElliston
Barnett House
Barnett House · National Register of Historic Places
Elliston’s story

135 years in pictures

The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 3 maps from 1950 on.

4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • 1891Elliston is settled
Explore the history →
Nearby attractions

Appalachian Trail and 13 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Elliston. Close and well known come first.

All 23 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Appalachian Trail: Paulba. Original uploader was Paulbalegend at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Lane Stadium: User:B, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mountain Lake: Rolfmueller, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Project Greek Island: Z22, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Smith Mountain Lake: Jay White, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Elliston: who provides what

Elliston is unincorporated, so Montgomery County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerAppalachian Power17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterParker Mobile Home EstatesNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMontgomery CountyMontgomery County provides services here
SchoolsMontgomery County Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Virginia you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 11 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereMontgomery General RegistrarMontgomery County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code2408724087 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Elliston.

Schools

The schools Elliston’s kids attend

Its two schools are below. Public schools: the Montgomery County Public Schools. 2 public schools serve Elliston, with 630 students in all.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Eastern Montgomery ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5376D
Eastern Montgomery HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12Grades 9–12254A−

NCES · EDFacts

Housing

The typical home in Elliston is valued at about $244K

Among households in Elliston, 53% own their home. The typical rent for Elliston comes to $920 a month, below both the Virginia town median ($1,762 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Home values are up 3% over the year to September 2026.

$244KZillow home value
EllistonVirginia townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home53%68%73%
Median rent$920 a month$1,762 a month$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Elliston$244K
Virginia$412K
+3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazards

In Elliston, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical Virginia or U.S. town

Households in Elliston have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. FEMA puts 90% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.

83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
83Very high riskLowerHigher
Inland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

Elliston stands out in Virginia and nationally, with more of its residents who live below the poverty line

Commuting out is the norm in Elliston: 1% of working residents work locally. Its typical journey to work is 21 minutes. Half of commuters travel less than 13 miles. The top destinations are Christiansburg (18%), Roanoke (15%) and Blacksburg (12%).

1%work in town
EllistonVirginia townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line41%7.7%9.6%
Average trip to work21 minutes27 minutes25 minutes
Working residents who work in town0.6%4.9%8%

Where working residents work

In Elliston1%
Christiansburg18%
Roanoke15%
Blacksburg12%
Salem8%
13 mi
median commute distance
154
jobs based in Elliston
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Elliston

The range runs from 26° on a January night to 86° on a July afternoon, with about 18 inches of snow a winter.

18″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter27–48°
Spring42–67°
Summer62–84°
Fall44–68°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Elliston is

In Elliston, 18% of adults smoke cigarettes, and 19% report frequent mental distress. The share of adults 18 to 64 in Elliston who have no health insurance: 13%.

EllistonVirginia townsU.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)16%12%14%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)18%12%14%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)19%16%17%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)29%23%25%
32 measures vs. Virginia
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
What stands outEllistonVA
More uninsured adults12.9%8.7%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth16.3%11.1%
More adults with COPD9%6.2%
Lewisgale Medical Center
10.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Elliston

16pages on Elliston
After high school

Colleges nearby

5 within 15 miles of the center of Elliston

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Elliston for work

Where Elliston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

18% → Christiansburg Christiansburg 18% 15% → Roanoke Roanoke 15% 12% → Blacksburg Blacksburg 12% 8% → Salem Salem 8% 5% → Cave Spring Cave Spring 5% 4% → Glenvar Glenvar 4% Elliston · 1% stay
154jobs based in Elliston
1%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Landmarks

4 places in Elliston on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

About Elliston

CDP in Virginia, United States

Elliston is a census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States. It lies between the city of Roanoke and the town of Christiansburg in the southwestern part of the state. As of the 2020 census, Elliston had a population of 855. It is home to a small fire department, an elementary school, two gas stations, a train stop, and several churches. Most of its residents commute to larger towns. A set of railroad tracks separates the northwestern part of the town from the rest. US highway 11-460 further divides the town into two distinct neighborhoods, "Oldtown," which formed along the Valley Road in the 1850s, and "The Brake," a predominantly African-American area that dev…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
1.1 sq mi
Elevation
1,263 ft
ZIP code
24087

Questions about Elliston

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Elliston, VA a good place to live?

Elliston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.