Lots of amenities for small to medium MSA
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3/4/2019
Roanoke City is about 100k population, Roanoke County almost the same, Salem is 25k. VA has independent cities which are compact and generally contain some wealthy older neighborhoods and lower income areas. The counties are middle and upper middle. Yes, if you live in the city there are poor areas and areas with crime. On the other hand crime in the county and Salem is extremely low. Driving around here is a breeze. You can get from one end of town to the other in 5-10 minutes. It has a vibrant downtown and amenities you would expect in a larger city, like a first class symphony, art museum, regional theater and concert venues. Lots of good ethnic and American restaurants. A dozen breweries. Farmers markets are everywhere because it is surrounded by rural areas. Outdoor recreation is great because of mountains, rivers, lakes. City is Democratic. Surrounding areas are all Republican.
fred | Roanoke, VA