Blue Ridge is a small town of 2,994 in Virginia, with a median household income of $84,766
and a 4.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
Blue Ridge stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Blue Ridge is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Blue Ridge city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.9
Blue Ridge's overall cost of living index is 90.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Blue Ridge costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
Blue Ridge, VA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$237,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$885
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
94.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$84,766
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Blue Ridge's violent crime rate is 119.7 per 100,000 residents
— 68% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
119.7 /100k
Property Crime
613.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Blue Ridge, VA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
19.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Blue Ridge sees average highs of 46.2°F in January
and 86.1°F in July,
with 45.7 inches of annual precipitation
and 11.4 inches of snow per year.
Blue Ridge's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Blue Ridge roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $237,000 and median rent is $885/month.
Blue Ridge's violent crime rate is 119.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 613.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Blue Ridge, VA has a population of 2,994, a median household income of $84,766, and an unemployment rate of 4.5%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Blue Ridge averages 46.2°F in January and 86.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.7 inches
with about 11.4 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Blue Ridge, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 24064.
The population of Blue Ridge, Virginia is 2,994 with a median age of 42.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Blue Ridge: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $237,000, median household income $84,766, crime index 31 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Blue Ridge side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
