Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Pembroke’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. Only 2 of Virginia’s 370 towns score higher on cost of living. On the outdoors, just 14 of Virginia’s 372 towns do worse. Pembroke has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Pembroke beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Pembroke is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,010 in 1950, 1,152 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 5 maps from 1923 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pembroke, 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 Pembroke.
The typical Pembroke home is worth about $222,000, up 8.5% in a year, 46% below the Virginia typical home. Pembroke’s median rent is $796 a month, below both the Virginia town median ($1,762 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Pembroke | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $796 a month | $1,762 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Pembroke for work: only 2% work in town. Pembroke’s median household income is $58,000, against $102,000 in Virginia’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. The average trip to work in Pembroke is 21 minutes.
| Pembroke | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Pembroke’s FEMA risk score is 78 of 100. Since 1995, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pembroke.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Pembroke has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 25° and about 23 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Pembroke beats the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 39% of Pembroke adults have high blood pressure.
| Pembroke | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 23% |
| What stands out | Pembroke | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7% | 11.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.6% | 6.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Only 2 of the 87 Virginia towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Pembroke. Pembroke's reported crime rate is below Virginia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Pembroke | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 13.3 per 1,000 residents | 14.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pembroke. Close and well known come first.
Big draw14 mi Park & preserveAppalachian Trail3.0M visitors a year
31 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
6 mi LakeMountain Lake
14 mi Stadium & arenaLane Stadium
28 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
37 mi LandmarkProject Greek IslandAppalachian Trail: Paulba. Original uploader was Paulbalegend at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Mountain Lake: Rolfmueller, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lane Stadium: User:B, CC BY-SA 4.0 · New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · Project Greek Island: Z22, CC BY-SA 4.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Pembroke
About 7 of every 100 Pembroke residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Virginia.
Where Pembroke’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Virginia, United States
Pembroke ( PIM-bruuk) is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Pembroke had a population of 1,152. It is part of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg metropolitan area. Pembroke is home to the Mountain Lake Lodge that was featured in Dirty Dancing.
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+.
