Yates Tavern · National Register of Historic Places
Gretna’s story
114 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1912Gretna is settled
GretnaVA
A town of 1,280, settled in 1912.
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,280
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Typical home
$174K
+4.2% in a year
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
47.8
years
Jobs based here
553
Balanced
Is Gretna a good place to live?
Gretna’s best subject grade is an A− for schools; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 42% of residents live below the poverty line in Gretna, where Virginia’s towns sit at 7.7% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. On incomes, just 6 of Virginia’s 369 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 82% of U.S. towns. Gretna’s trail density is 1.2 miles per square mile, where Virginia’s towns sit at 0.7 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Gretna has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Yates Tavern and Phillip Craft House. Gretna has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Gretna stand out
Where Gretna beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Pittsylvania County Public Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Gretna Elementary | PK–5 | 493 |
| Gretna Middle | 6–8 | 385 |
| Gretna High | 9–12 | 507 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
32 measures vs. Virginia
3 better9 too close to call20 worse
| Widest gap | Gretna | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.9% | 6.2% |
Worth knowing · HealthD
Less healthy than 91% of U.S. towns
Trails VA on 20 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on 3
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Small town
1,280 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Gretna grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Gretna is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 11% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthLess healthy than 90% of U.S. towns; Sovah Health Danville 25.8 miles awayDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 8.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsB−Open →History3 places on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life1.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 47.8; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Gretna: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gretna, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Gretna water system4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offMeadow Ridge Court Convenience Center, 3 miOpenStreetMap
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.govWho runs elections herePittsylvania General RegistrarPittsylvania County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2023
ZIP code2455724557 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 Gretna.
HousingCost of living grade B
A typical Gretna home is worth about $174K
The typical Gretna home is worth about $174,000, up 4.2% in a year, 58% below the Virginia typical home. 54% of Gretna households own their home.
$174KZillow home value
Typical home value
Gretna$174K
Virginia$412K
+4.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA−
Gretna’s public schools outperform 76% of Virginia districts
Its public schools are run by the Pittsylvania County Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Gretna High, with 507 students.
76%of VA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gretna ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 493 | A− |
| Gretna HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 507 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
HealthD
A larger share of adults in Gretna say their health is fair or poor than in the typical Virginia or U.S. town
30% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Gretna. Only 1 of the 254 Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Gretna. 35% of adults feel lonely in Gretna.
10%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Gretna | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 17% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
3 better9 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Gretna | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.6% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.4% | 76.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.9% | 6.2% |
Sovah Health Danville
25.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Gretna faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 89% of U.S. communities.
11risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesEarthquakes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Gretna
Gretna has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 27° and about 6 inches of snow falls in a winter.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–49°
Spring44–68°
Summer64–85°
Fall46–69°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Gretna stands out in Virginia and nationally: the median household income there is lower
The median household income in Gretna is $34,000. Since 2013, Gretna has added 115 jobs, to 553 in 2023. The average trip to work in Gretna is 21 minutes.
9%work in town
| Gretna | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $34,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.5% | 4.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Gretna9%
Chatham14%
Danville9%
Altavista6%
Rocky Mount3%
22 mi
median commute distance
553
jobs based in Gretna
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 18% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Gretna
Gretna's reported crime rate is well below Virginia's. Gretna’s violent crime rate is 0.8 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Gretna | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.1 per 1,000 residents | 14.6 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Gretna0.8
Virginia2.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Gretna7.1
Virginia13.9
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
9
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,076 acres
2.0 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elba Park | 0.3 mi | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gretna
20pages on Gretna
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 76% of VA districts · 3 schoolsSafety0.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than VA on 3 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$174K typical home · up 4.2% in a yearWork & commuteD−$34K median household income · 553 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 11% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gretna; the nearest are
Averett UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Danville25.9 mi$38,550 tuitionDanville Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Danville26.7 mi$4,992 in-state tuitionVirginia Military InstituteUniversity or college · Public · Lexington58.2 mi$21,046 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Gretna residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Landmarks
3 places in Gretna on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Gretna
Town in Virginia, United States
Gretna is a town in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Gretna had a population of 1,310. It is part of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 833 ft
- ZIP code
- 24557
- Area code
- 434
Questions about Gretna
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gretna, VA expensive?
That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($49,874 across the Danville, VA area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.