First Hand Information
-
8/17/2006
If you are looking to move to this beatiful mountain town then there are a few things you should you know. It's VERY rural, by that I mean if you plan on doing any "mall" shopping you will need to drive about 1 hour. If it is a place you looking to retire to then you may have hit the jackpot. Cost of living is steadily increasing, approaching but still below the national average as of August 2006. There are events geared towards seniors such as the Labor Day flea market and the Galax fiddler's convention. BUT, if you plan on moving here to try and make a living then you may want to look towards another option. Simply because all the manufaturing jobs are either gone or leaving. If you go either 25mi N to Wytheville or 40mi NE to Christiansburg pay and jobs are on the upswing. As of the last printing in local paper unemployment is at 17%+/-. Even though schools have a low student/teacher ratio they are behind in their curriculms. Basically, what I'm saying is that if you are 60+ years old then this is a GREAT place but if you are looking to make a living it is not the even close to the ideal situation. With cost of living increasing and pay staying where it's at (US median income is at $44,473 it's about $36,700 in Carroll County/Hillsville) it is VERY hard to make ends meet and plan for the future. If you have any questions e-mail me and I will answer them.
Robert | Hillsville, VA