Roanoke County, Virginia

History

The county was established by an act of the Virginia Legislature on March 30, 1838, from the southern part of Botetourt County. Additional territory was transferred to Roanoke County from Montgomery County in 1845. Salem was originally the county seat. 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 sqmi, of which 250.6 sqmi is land and 0.7 sqmi (0.3%) is water.

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. Vinton is an incorporated town with an elected town council and town manager.

Adjacent counties and cities

• Bedford County - east
• Botetourt County - northeast
• Craig County - northwest
• Floyd County - southwest
• Franklin County - southeast
• Montgomery County - west
• Roanoke - center (enclave)
• Salem - center (enclave)

Nationally protected areas

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

Major highways

• (future)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

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.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 96,929. The median age was 44.5 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 83.3% White, 5.9% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.6% of the population.

80.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 39,777 households in the county, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 42,147 housing units, of which 5.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.5% were owner-occupied and 24.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%.

2000 Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 85,778 people, 34,686 households, and 24,696 families residing in the county. The population density was 342 /mi2. There were 36,121 housing units at an average density of 144 /mi2. 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 aged 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.

Education

There are five public high schools in Roanoke County:

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

Hollins University, a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, is in northern Roanoke County, near the Botetourt County border. Roanoke College, also a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, is in the independent city of Salem within the boundaries of Roanoke County; Salem's 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 and J. J. Redick, all of whom attended and graduated from Cave Spring High School in southwestern Roanoke County.

Communities

Town

• Vinton

Census-designated places

• Cave Spring
• Glenvar
• Hollins

Other unincorporated communities

• Back Creek
• Bent Mountain
• Bonsack
• Catawba
• Clearbrook
• 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.

References

Bibliography

• Jack, George S. and Edward Boyle Jacobs, (1912). History of Roanoke County, Stone.

References

1. "QuickFacts Roanoke County, Virginia". U.S. Census Bureau.
2. Jack, Pp. 6-7
3. "Roanoke County, Virginia".
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. "Home - Roanoke Regional Partnership".
6. It was named for the [[Roanoke River]], which in turn was derived from a [[Native Americans in the United States
7. Jack, P. 43
8. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
9. "Board of Supervisors". Roanoke County, Virginia.
10. "Town Council". Town of Vinton.
11. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". [[US Census Bureau]].
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
13. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
15. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Roanoke County, Virginia".
16. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Roanoke County, Virginia".
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
19. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
20. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".