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Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County courthouse
Roanoke County Courthouse
Seal of Roanoke County, Virginia
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Roanoke County
Location in the state of Virginia
Map of the U.S
Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded March 30, 1838
Named for Roanoke River
Seat Salem
Largest town Vinton
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

251.3 sq mi (651 km²)
250.6 sq mi (649 km²)
0.7 sq mi (2 km²), 0.3
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

96,929
Congressional districts 6th, 9th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.roanokecountyva.gov
Footnotes: [1]

Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 96,929.[2] Its county seat is Salem, but the county administrative offices are located in the unincorporated Cave Spring area of the county.[3]

Roanoke County is part of the Roanoke, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia.[4]

The independent cities of Roanoke and Salem (incorporated as such in 1884 and 1968 respectively) are located within the boundaries of Roanoke County, but are not a part of the county. The town of Vinton is the only municipality within the county. While significant areas of the county are rural and mountainous, most residents live in the suburbs near Roanoke and Salem in the Roanoke Valley.

History[]

Roanoke County Virginia state historical marker

State historical marker for Roanoke County, Virginia

The county was established by an act of the Virginia Legislature on March 30, 1838, from the southern part of Botetourt County.[1] It was named for the Roanoke River, which in turn was derived from a Native American term for money.[5] Additional territory was transferred to Roanoke County from Montgomery County in 1845. Salem was originally the county seat.[6] When Salem became an independent city, by agreement with the county the Roanoke County Courthouse remained in Salem and the two localities share a jail. However, the county administrative offices were moved to the Cave Spring District.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 251.3 square miles (650.9 km2), of which 250.6 square miles (649.1 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.[7]

Districts[]

The county is governed by a Board of Supervisors with one representative elected from each of the five magisterial districts: Catawba, Cave Spring, Hollins, Vinton, and Windsor Hills.[8] Vinton is an incorporated town with an elected town council and town manager.[9]

Adjacent counties and cities[]

Nationally protected areas[]

  • Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
  • Jefferson National Forest (part)

Major highways[]

  • I-73 I-73 (future)
  • I-81 I-81
  • I-581 I-581
  • US 11 US 11
  • US 220 US 220
  • US 221 US 221
  • US 460 US 460
  • Virginia 24 SR 24
  • Virginia 115 SR 115
  • Virginia 116 SR 116
  • Virginia 117 SR 117
  • Virginia 118 SR 118
  • Virginia 311 SR 311
  • Virginia 419 SR 419

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1840 5,499
1850 8,477 54.2%
1860 8,048 −5.1%
1870 9,350 16.2%
1880 13,105 40.2%
1890 30,101 129.7%
1900 15,837 −47.4%
1910 19,623 23.9%
1920 22,395 14.1%
1930 35,289 57.6%
1940 42,897 21.6%
1950 41,486 −3.3%
1960 61,693 48.7%
1970 67,339 9.2%
1980 72,945 8.3%
1990 79,332 8.8%
2000 85,778 8.1%
2010 92,376 7.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[15]

2020 census[]

Roanoke County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 81,886 79,928 88.64% 82.46%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,580 5,650 4.96% 5.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 121 155 0.13% 0.16%
Asian alone (NH) 2,455 3,425 2.66% 3.53%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 26 24 0.03% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 89 435 0.10% 0.45%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,268 3,805 1.37% 3.93%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,951 3,507 2.11% 3.62%
Total 92,376 96,929 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2000 Census[]

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 85,778 people, 34,686 households, and 24,696 families residing in the county. The population density was 342 people per square mile (132/km2). There were 36,121 housing units at an average density of 144 per square mile (56/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.63% White, 3.35% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34,686 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,689, and the median income for a family was $56,450. Males had a median income of $39,126 versus $26,690 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,637. About 2.70% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.20% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Roanoke County is a strongly Republican county in Presidential elections. It was one of the first places in Virginia to turn Republican. No Democrat has carried the county since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944, and Jimmy Carter in 1976 is the last Democrat to garner even 40 percent of the vote.

However, the independent city of Roanoke itself is more Democratic than the county's average and has voted for Democrats in each presidential election since 1988.

United States presidential election results for Roanoke County, Virginia[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 34,268 59.93% 21,801 38.12% 1,115 1.95%
2016 31,408 61.00% 17,200 33.41% 2,881 5.60%
2012 31,624 61.75% 18,711 36.53% 882 1.72%
2008 30,571 59.97% 19,812 38.87% 592 1.16%
2004 30,596 65.14% 16,082 34.24% 295 0.63%
2000 25,740 60.12% 16,141 37.70% 936 2.19%
1996 20,700 52.51% 15,387 39.03% 3,334 8.46%
1992 20,667 50.31% 14,704 35.79% 5,709 13.90%
1988 22,011 62.61% 12,938 36.80% 208 0.59%
1984 23,348 68.56% 10,569 31.04% 137 0.40%
1980 17,182 55.76% 12,114 39.31% 1,518 4.93%
1976 13,587 50.42% 13,120 48.69% 241 0.89%
1972 19,920 77.28% 5,318 20.63% 540 2.09%
1968 12,439 58.89% 3,902 18.47% 4,783 22.64%
1964 10,714 54.84% 8,808 45.09% 14 0.07%
1960 9,109 67.31% 4,384 32.40% 39 0.29%
1956 7,509 69.83% 2,899 26.96% 345 3.21%
1952 6,017 68.95% 2,689 30.82% 20 0.23%
1948 3,988 53.49% 2,876 38.58% 591 7.93%
1944 3,146 48.13% 3,380 51.71% 10 0.15%
1940 2,302 39.10% 3,539 60.11% 47 0.80%
1936 2,105 37.87% 3,422 61.57% 31 0.56%
1932 1,704 39.93% 2,509 58.79% 55 1.29%
1928 2,675 67.57% 1,284 32.43% 0 0.00%
1924 695 36.77% 1,078 57.04% 117 6.19%
1920 955 41.85% 1,286 56.35% 41 1.80%
1916 460 34.23% 850 63.24% 34 2.53%
1912 108 10.60% 696 68.30% 215 21.10%
1908 426 35.89% 732 61.67% 29 2.44%
1904 427 38.61% 630 56.96% 49 4.43%
1900 1,188 54.17% 942 42.95% 63 2.87%
1896 1,484 56.04% 1,116 42.15% 48 1.81%
1892 1,290 44.03% 1,527 52.12% 113 3.86%
1888 1,212 55.19% 935 42.58% 49 2.23%
1884 1,116 52.59% 1,006 47.41% 0 0.00%
1880 600 35.74% 1,077 64.15% 2 0.12%



Education[]

There are five public high schools located in Roanoke County:

  • Cave Spring
  • Glenvar
  • Hidden Valley
  • Northside
  • William Byrd

Hollins University, a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, is located in northern Roanoke County, near the Botetourt County border. Roanoke College, also a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, is located in the independent city of Salem within the boundaries of Roanoke County; the former county courthouse on Main Street is now a college academic building.

Notable people[]

Notable sports figures from Roanoke County include Tiki Barber, Ronde Barber, J. J. Redick, all of whom attended and graduated from Cave Spring High School in Southwest Roanoke County.

Communities[]

Town[]

  • Vinton

Census-designated places[]

  • Cave Spring
  • Glenvar
  • Hollins

Other unincorporated communities[]

  • Back Creek
  • Bent Mountain
  • Bonsack
  • Catawba
  • Clearbrook
  • Fort Lewis
  • Hanging Rock
  • Masons Cove
  • Mount Pleasant
  • Oak Grove
  • Penn Forest
  • Poages Mill

Many of these CDPs and unincorporated areas have mailing addresses in the cities of Roanoke and Salem.

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Roanoke County, Virginia

References[]

  1. ^ a b Jack, Pp. 6-7
  2. ^ "Roanoke County, Virginia". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US51161. Retrieved January 30, 2022. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ "Home - Roanoke Regional Partnership". http://www.roanoke.org. 
  5. ^ Jack, P. 8
  6. ^ Jack, P. 43
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html. 
  8. ^ "Board of Supervisors". Roanoke County, Virginia. http://www.roanokecountyva.gov/Departments/BoardOfSupervisors/. 
  9. ^ "Town Council". Town of Vinton. http://www.vintonva.gov/index.aspx?NID=81. 
  10. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt. 
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  14. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Roanoke County, Virginia". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51161&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2. 
  15. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Roanoke County, Virginia". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51161&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

Bibliography[]

External links[]

Coordinates: 37°16′N 80°05′W / 37.27, -80.08


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Roanoke County, Virginia. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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