Harrisonburg Staunton info please! (Charlottesville, Winchester: real estate, rental, high crime)

[bgthompson123]

Trying to get some info on Harrisonburg & Staunton area. We are looking at a relocation from NC. We are not originally from NC as a side note. I am familiar with Virginia somewhat but mainly northern VA & Winchester.

Housing is a factor and would need to be in the under $250k price range. Small house is fine and would prefer older neighborhood in town tree lined street kinda deal. Subdivision would be ok but not first choice. Small lot is preferred but that’s open. We are not needing any elaborate home as we are downsizing. No school kids at home anymore. Our kid actually almost attended JMU so I am somewhat familiar with Harrisonburg but not a ton. Staunton seems less expensive ? Is it too rural as I don’t want a totally rural location but would love to live in a downtown area.

We travel I 81 a lot so I know there are also other towns nearby like New Market?

My spouse would be getting new employment or transferring with current employer. I would just be getting PT job and am pretty flex with that as i have worked in a few different things .

Thought and insights appreciated on nice neighborhoods or streets or whatever. Thanks!

[Bigfoot424]

Probably more job opportunities in Harrisonburg vs Staunton. Both are great areas but H'burg has more in the way shopping. Finding a home in that price range is doable and here is one example listed on Zillow for both towns. Head out of town and oof course you'll have more options. Both have easy access to mountains for hiking and so on if you enjoy that. Staunton is a little more rural than Staunton but the downtown areas are active small city areas. Finding homes in your price range downtown for both might be tough.



https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...75435468_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...73618238_zpid/

[nm9stheham]

You may want to consider the neighborhoods north of the Gypsy Hill Park are of Staunton. And add Waynesboro to your list; the 'tree streets' area (the area west and NW of downtown where all the streets are named for tree species) also sounds like the type of area you may like.


Stuanton, H'burg, and Waynesboro are definitely not rural, but are a far cry of the sprawl and constant dense traffic of NoVa. Waynesboro is within commuting distance from Charlottesville.

[Bigfoot424]

Not sure I'd put Waynesboro in the same bracket as Staunton and H'burg.

[bgthompson123]

Any areas to avoid in Harrisonburg? Like crazy traffic or high crime etc? Staunton seems more reasonable price wise for real estate
I haven’t looked in Waynesboro

[Bigfoot424]

No real crazy traffic in H'burg like a big city although anything close to I-81 can be an issue when 81 is backed up. Maybe stay away from the college area to avoid some of the traffic. Look at Rt. 33 heading west out of H'burg heading towards WV. Beautiful country out there. During leaf season you will see some additional traffic out that way though. I believe you can still obtain crime stats here on City-Data but I've never used it. Staunton has a little less to offer so it should be cheaper but I really like Staunton. The downtown (Covid notwithstanding) is a place the wife and I like to visit.

Waynesboro was known as Heroin central for a few years by the local drug task force. Seems as it may have improved some but I am no longer tied into this so I am not positive. But the valley in general is considered a safe area with only a few exceptions.

[nm9stheham]

I have lived in Augusta County outside of Waynesboro for 30+ years, so I think I know that area pretty well. The OP has a price range (which is not in the high end district) and a desired neighborhood type. Epithets like 'herion central' may be 'catchie' but not necessarily accurate, and some such areas exist everywhere and change over time; Lexington had an LSD problem at Washington & Lee university many decades ago. My prior post gave you the best areas I know of on Waynesboro and Staunton for what you seem to want.

Waynesboro has more of a light industrial history, which is fading, and which has not helped the housing situation in the poor end of town. But Waynesboro is its own trade center, with its own shopping districts and zoning plan.

Harrisonburg was an ag center in the older days, and is still a busy, bustling trade center for Rockingham County, and now has become a big college town near the town center.

Staunton is more of the county seat, and larger trade center of Augusta County.

The downtowns of all 3 towns are not much of anything for any real shopping anymore. Some restaurants and specialty shops are about it. So don't count on these downtowns to be where you do all your living and shopping. (They all resemble downtown Winchester in some fashion or another, for reference.)

There is a lot of new construction going on just outside of Waynesboro that is catering to the commuters to/from Charlottesville. But the 'tree streets' area, and the area immediately west over by the golf course, would be more of the older 'gentrified' area and is still quite nice, quiet, and close to downtown. There are certain areas east and NE of the South River in Waynesboro, that I would not recommend; similarly, there are a few areas in Staunton and Harrisonburg that I would not recommend either.

Harrionsburg has James Madison University, and the 20k+ student population is pushing many of the older neighborhoods to become rental property. Immediately north of downtown along US11 is not the best of areas. Some areas west of VA42 in/near downtown H'burg may be your best bet, but the near-town areas are mostly student housing now, and I would give you the least odds of finding what you want in H'burg. Staunton and Waynesboro do not have that problem.

[kyle19125]

If liking the idea of living in a small town (near downtown) along the I-81 corridor would you consider Wytheville or Marion? The home values are shocking in both, and each has thriving/established downtown areas.

[bgthompson123]

I will look at Marion and wytheville also . We are making a visit in March to scout around the area

[bgthompson123]

Wait I see those towns aren’t really near Harrisonburg so I’m thinking too far south etc