Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Narrows’ subject grades are an A for cost of living and an A− for history; the weakest is a C for incomes. Only 6 of Virginia’s 370 towns score higher on cost of living. Narrows is more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns. Among 87 Virginia towns, just 2 have a lower violent crime rate than Narrows. Narrows Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Narrows has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Narrows beats most towns.
Narrows Commercial Historic DistrictWhere Narrows’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Narrows is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 975 in 1910, 2,093 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1916 and 5 maps from 1932 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Narrows, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Narrows.
The typical Narrows home is worth about $170,000, up 10.2% in a year, 59% below the Virginia typical home. At $931 a month, Narrows’ median rent is against $1,762 a month in Virginia’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. 78% of Narrows households own their home.
| Narrows | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $931 a month | $1,762 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Giles County Public Schools. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Narrows High, with 300 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrows Elementary/MiddleLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–7 | Grades PK–7 | 514 | B− |
| Narrows HighLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 300 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Narrows for work: only 2% work in town. At $63,000, Narrows’ median household income is below both the Virginia town median ($102,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Narrows’ average trip to work is 28 minutes.
| Narrows | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 4.9% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Narrows has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Narrows is 84°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Narrows beats the Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 26% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Narrows.
| Narrows | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Narrows | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 6.2% |
| More smokers | 16.2% | 12.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 2003, 10 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Narrows.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Narrows's reported crime rate is well below Virginia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Narrows. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi Park & preserveAppalachian Trail3.0M visitors a year
40 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
24 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
23 mi Stadium & arenaLane Stadium
15 mi LakeMountain Lake
40 mi MuseumLost World CavernsAppalachian Trail: Paulba. Original uploader was Paulbalegend at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · Lane Stadium: User:B, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mountain Lake: Rolfmueller, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lost World Caverns: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Narrows
About 1 of every 100 Narrows residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Town in Virginia, United States
Narrows, named for the narrowing of the New River that flows through the town, is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Narrows had a population of 2,093. It is part of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
