Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Radford grades A− overall, 110th among Virginia's 249 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its public schools beat 91% of Virginia towns on state tests and graduation and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in incomes: the median household income is $57K, and 29% of residents live below the poverty line. A typical home there costs about $272K, 4.1 years of the Blacksburg metro’s $66K median household income. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Radford, against 7.7% in Virginia’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Radford is home to Radford University. Among 253 Virginia towns, just 6 have a lower median age than Radford.
Where Radford beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Belle Heth Elementary | 3–6 | 473 |
| McHarg Elementary | PK–2 | 383 |
| John N. Dalton Intermediate | 7–8 | 265 |
Census counts: 2,060 in 1890, 16,070 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 5 maps from 1950 on.
9 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Radford is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Radford, 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 Radford.
Radford pairs an A− overall with homes cheaper than the Virginia norm, fares better on crime within Virginia than nationally and is shaped by its college students.
38.6% of residents are enrolled in college, against 6.9% statewide, which pulls the median age down. Only 42.3% of households own their home, against 67.3% across Virginia.
Adults 18 to 34 are 54% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 24% of residents (39% statewide). 13% of Radford residents are under 18. Radford has grown 7.3% since 2020, to 17,243 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Radford | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 13% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 44% | 29% |
56% women, 44% men
About 80 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.2 points). Across Virginia, 50.6% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 59% are women (VA 49%). Median age: women 23.1, men 23.5.
| Radford | VA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 42.7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 13.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.8% | 13.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.1% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.1% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.6% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.9% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.2% | 8.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.8% | 23.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.1% | 17.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10% | 7.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.3% | 23.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18.7% | 18.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Its public schools are run by the Radford City Public Schools. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Radford City Virtual, with 1,694 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Heth ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–6 | Grades 3–6 | 473 | A− |
| Radford HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 506 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Radford.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
7.5 miles of trail in 9 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Wildwood Park, at 60 acres.
| Radford | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.5% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bisset Park | 1.5 mi | 51 |
| 2. Wildwood Park | — | 60 |
| 3. Thomas R Trigg Recreational Park | — | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Radford grades A− overall with a typical home of about $272K, below the Virginia typical value; only 8 of the 38 Virginia towns graded A− or better can say that.
42% of households own their home in Radford. The typical Radford home is worth about $272,000, up 3.4% in a year, 34% below the Virginia typical home. The median rent in Radford is $1,033 a month.
| Radford | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 42% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,033 a month | $1,764 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
January nights average 24.5°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 78% of Virginia places with climate records; July afternoons average 84.3°.
Radford has chilly winters and warm summers. Radford’s July high is 84°F. About 16 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Radford | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 84°F | 88°F | 85°F |
| January low | 25°F | 26°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Radford has about as many jobs (5,912) as working residents, but only 1,212 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 18.3 minutes, against 27.3 across Virginia.
About one in 5 of Radford’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Radford has lost 1,307 jobs, to 5,912 in 2023. The top destinations are Blacksburg (15%), Christiansburg (10%) and Roanoke (6%).
| Radford | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 4.8% | 8% |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 18% | 11% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 8,131 U.S. towns with household incomes like Radford’s, it is healthier than 82%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Radford beats the Virginia average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. No town among the 253 in Virginia we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Radford.
| Radford | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 34% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 22% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| What stands out | Radford | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.2% | 7.7% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9% | 12.5% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 13.3% | 7.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
At 18.4 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 78% of Virginia’s graded towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Radford. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi Park & preserveAppalachian Trail3.0M visitors a year
22 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
10 mi Stadium & arenaLane Stadium
17 mi LakeMountain Lake
35 mi MuseumVirginia Museum of Transportation
36 mi MuseumTaubman Museum of ArtAppalachian 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 · Virginia Museum of Transportation: Warfieldian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Taubman Museum of Art: O Palsson, CC BY 2.0
4 within 15 miles of the center of Radford
College town 39 of every 100 Radford residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
9 places in Radford on the National Register of Historic Places.
18 notable people were born in Radford.
Independent city in Virginia, United States
Radford (formerly Lovely Mount, Central City, English Ferry and Ingle's Ferry) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of 2020, the population was 16,070 by the United States Census Bureau. For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County. Radford is included in the Blacksburg–Christiansburg metropolitan area. Radford is the home of Radford University. Despite its name, the Radford Arsenal, historically a major employer of city residents, is in neighboring Pulaski and Montgomery counties. Radford City has four schools: McHarg Elementary, Belle Heth Elementary, Dalton Intermediate, and Radford High Scho…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Radford.
| Town | VA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radford | #110 | A− | B− | B− | A | B− |
| Plum Creek | — | — | B | — | A− | B |
| Fairlawn | — | — | C | — | B+ | A− |
Plum Creek and Fairlawn have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Plum Creek and Fairlawn report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Radford with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Radford grades A− overall, better than 76% of U.S. towns and #110 of 249 in Virginia. It grades B− for health, B− for safety and A for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
18 notable people were born here, including Shayne Graham and Elizabeth Kee.
