Winchester, VA Reviews


17 Reviews



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What BestPlaces Users Say about Winchester

Winchester, Virginia is a small city located in the northern part of the state. It has a population of around 28,000 people and is known for its historic downtown area and beautiful natural surroundings. Winchester has a diverse community and a strong sense of community pride. It is also home to several major employers and has a low cost of living compared to other cities in the region.

Summarize:
According to user reviews on BestPlaces.net, Winchester, Virginia is praised for its small-town feel, friendly community, and affordable cost of living. Many reviewers also mentioned the city's historical charm and natural beauty as major draws. However, some pointed out issues with traffic and a lack of diversity. Overall, the majority of reviews spoke highly of living in Winchester and recommended it as a great place to call home.

Excerpts:
1. "Winchester is a charming and quaint city with friendly people and a strong community feel. I love the historic downtown area and the beautiful parks and nature trails. It's a great place to raise a family." - Jenny S.

2. "I've lived in Winchester for 10 years and it's been a wonderful experience. The cost of living is much lower than other cities in the area and there's always something to do. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful and welcoming community." - Tom M.

3. "I moved to Winchester for a job opportunity and have been disappointed. The traffic is terrible and the lack of diversity in the city is disheartening. I miss the cultural diversity of my previous city." - Lauren P.

4. "Winchester has a special charm that you won't find in other cities. The historic buildings and friendly locals make it feel like a tight-knit community. I've never regretted my decision to move here." - Mark T.

 based on 17 Reviews
Get to know Winchester with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Winchester

Not the best place to live in. - 4/30/2020
I have lived in Winchester for 13 years and I find the locals to be rude, unpleasant and loud. Women worse than men... that's not to say all is bad, the city has some charming neighborhoods and some of the newer neighborhoods has more polished Read More

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Stay Away - 8/17/2016
Worst place I have ever lived. My neighbors hate jemmy since I am not a clone. They do not respect other people's property.I put up a fence and the same day the contractor set the posts the neighbors called the city saying my posts wee too high. The city agreed with me that the posts woudl be cut down the next day. if you do not own your house they hate you too. They treat renters worse than dirt, especially if you do not have carbon copy 1950s era exterior door colors. They forget the historic district has many doors with bright red, bright purple, bright blue ,etc. I'd rather have stayed in Newark, NJ . I am a white person and my African American neighbors in Newark were friendly and respected me, than move to Winchester .I plan to move as soon as I raise the money to move and never return. The city actually had a statement in their strategic plan that "Renters are a problem." In a neighborhood watch meeting I attended a Representative of the police made the same comment.The Read More

Winchester is a VERY CONSERVATIVE backwards commun - 12/21/2014
I would have to say I agree with much of what another individual wrote: it's like going back in time or living in a place that refuses to adapt to cultural diversity. I am not of the Christian faith and I have lived in this area for about 9 years now. After much discrimination and discussions with teachers, county school officials, etc. I was basically told that 'cultural change takes time and I might be better off somewhere else." This is a very conservative, religious (but fairly backwards), small town feel with a lot of camo-wearing hunters. I can't count the number of times I have been sitting with my two children at a restaurant and had to listen to hunting stories (with kids also as their parents bring them out hunting). The areas are fairly segregated and population is tight-knit and rude (the locals). If you were going to have to move then I would suggest the new subdivision of Snowden Bridge because it's the most diverse and many commute to Northern Virginia. With Read More

Quality of Life - 8/21/2014
I have lived in Winchester for about 40 years now. It is a very nice area in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Our claims to fame would be the birthplace of Patsy Cline, The Apple Blossom Festival, MANY civil war battles, and the self-proclaimed "Apple Capital" of the world. Good schools. Only about an hour from northern virginia area and DC. We do have 4 seasons with humid summers and a good amount of snow in the winter. Great place to raise children. We have rivers, lakes and Read More

Stay Away!! - 8/2/2014
I have lived here(renter) since 2010. A big mistake! The city has a rising illegal drug problem and a rising assault rate. I have had property stolen from my residence two nights in a row.
The latest snobbery is a remark made by an official of the Winchester Police Department that "Fr enters are problems."
I would now rather be homeless in any place other than living in Winchester. When I raise the funds I Will leaver Winchester-- Read More

Things we wish someone would have told us before w - 9/20/2012
As a military brat, I have lived all over the world in all kinds of different climates and cultures. My finance and I relocated to Winchester to attend the local university. Our move was dependent upon us securing a place to live. Four months before we planned to move, we flew up, stayed for a week, and explored. We found a place that was in our budget range and in a location we thought would be best for our lifestyles - we're both professional musicians (opera and jazz). While driving across the country to set up our new home - from Texas - our realtor called us to tell us the house was leased to someone else. Our realtor was working with another company and no one had ever mentioned that anyone else was interested in the home. We didn't think anything of it at the time and figured we would just give it the old college try and find a new place. We are an interracial couple - Puerto Rican(f) and White(m). Although we had excellent references, credit history - on both sides, and were Read More

Don't be afraid to keep looking - 7/24/2011
Winchester used to be a great little town with perhaps an unhealthy emphasis on its self-perceived historic importance, but it is now being dragged into the 21st century unwillingly and the results are decidedly mixed. The population in this area continues to grow at an alarming rate. I've been a frequent visitor to see lifelong friends who live here, one of whom is an environmental engineer, who predicts dire times ahead for the area as far as fresh water supply. Unchecked development in the county has stressed the local water table to its max and yet development continues. The county supervisors ignore the problem as long as property tax rolls grow. Disaster looms on the horizon.

That said, this area has the finest regional library system (www.handleyregional.org) I have ever seen. Schools are adequate but offer little encouragement for personal growth. Too much emphasis is placed on minimum competency rather than maximum potential achievement. Your son or Read More

Rude factor - 8/4/2010
Do not move here! Rudest people I have seen in a long Read More

Varies year to year - 2/8/2010
Bad winter this year with lots of snow. Summers are variable, but there have been some nice ones lately. Spring & fall are usually the Read More

Safe place to live - 1/2/2010
Winchester is like living in Mayberry. Very safe place. Like anywhere else, there is crime here, but you can sleep easy and not worry about your Read More

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