need info on Staunton (Charlottesville, Waynesboro: apartments, insurance, crime)

[Slipperman]

i'm a frequent visitor to the Conn forum because that's where i live but my brother lives in Staunton (which i assume is considered Northern VA) and i was thinking of visiting him on vacation but not sure what the closest airport is. CHO is the only one i know of that looks even remotely close but still seems a bit far away on the map.
also, i'd like some recommendations on where to take some good landscape photography or any other interesting/photogenic sites in the area.
appreciate any help.

[Westbound and Down]

Originally Posted by Slipperman

i'm a frequent visitor to the Conn forum because that's where i live but my brother lives in Staunton (which i assume is considered Northern VA) and i was thinking of visiting him on vacation but not sure what the closest airport is. CHO is the only one i know of that looks even remotely close but still seems a bit far away on the map.
also, i'd like some recommendations on where to take some good landscape photography or any other interesting/photogenic sites in the area.
appreciate any help.

CHO is only about 45 minutes from Staunton.

Staunton is not considered 'northern VA.' Staunton is in the Shenandoah Valley, and there is an airport that serves that area: SHD - Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport - Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport

[Slipperman]

thx for that..
any ideas on photogenic scenery - mountains, lakes, valleys, any combination thereof?

[Westbound and Down]

Originally Posted by Slipperman

thx for that..
any ideas on photogenic scenery - mountains, lakes, valleys, any combination thereof?

The beauty is everywhere, really. Staunton is quite picturesque, historical downtown, Victorian homes, Mary Baldwin College.

[ShadowBat]

The pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks downtown by the Depot restaurant gives a really good view of downtown Staunton. And if it's still open, the overlook at the top of Betsy Bell mountain( which is in town) gives a good view of the Staunton area, depending on what time of year. Also the views from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are really good. They're about 20 minutes from Staunton.

[Slipperman]

thanx all..

[katpurx2]

Couldn't find much on tax rates. I'm retired, currently living in Cleveland, OH. Have relatives near Staunton. Thinking of moving there. Looks quite quaint. Are there county, state income taxes? For instance, in Cleveland, we have an 8% tax rate on goods (not food). In Cleveland, our property taxes are very high. They just hit us with huge water/sewer bill increases. I actually live in Cleveland proper, and 22 yrs ago my neighborhood was still a pretty nice one. It has been going downhill though. Crime up. And of course, there's the weather. Very bad winters. 20 inches a year? We were getting that in one day around here. Then it's hot and humid in summer.

The few apartments I've looked at seem to be extremely well priced (compared to Cleveland suburban locations).

Just wondering if anyone out there has any other insights on living in Staunton area. Thanks so much,

Still condemned in Cleveland, K.

[TN Lily]

In Virginia, there is state income tax, but no income tax paid to the county. From the Va. Dept. of Tax'n website:
Individual Income Tax | Virginia Department of Taxation
Va Taxable Income Tax Calculation
0 - $3,000 2%
$3,001 - $5,000 $60 + 3% of excess over $3,000
$5,001 - $17,000 $120 + 5% of excess over $5,000
$17,001 - $720 + 5.75% of excess over $17,000

This addresses deductions, including Social Security income: Subtractions | Virginia Department of Taxation
Va. does not tax Social Security benefits.

There is a personal property tax on cars, but unless you are driving a new luxury vehicle, it usually is not a lot.
Personal Property Information — Staunton VA

This group has info on state & local taxes and ranks the states.
Annual State-Local Tax Burden Ranking FY 2011 | Tax Foundation

[Anita Lebeck]

I was actually considering living in the Waynesboro area and travelling to Charlottesville to work. After visiting and realizing C'ville is mostly white collar, I tried looking around other areas. In the hotel I met a woman who had lived in Staunton. Now please keep in mind that this is heresay - I do NOT know anything about the Staunton area. This woman told me that it took her 8 months to find a job in Staunton. She was a waitress, and said she had to move out of the area because of the crime and increase in heroin in the area. This really concerned me, because it looks like a nice area. I tried looking for employment briefly (I sell insurance) and there really didn't seem to be anything.

Does anyone have any insight on what this lady told me? Thanks!!

[Westbound and Down]

Originally Posted by Anita Lebeck

I was actually considering living in the Waynesboro area and travelling to Charlottesville to work. After visiting and realizing C'ville is mostly white collar, I tried looking around other areas. In the hotel I met a woman who had lived in Staunton. Now please keep in mind that this is heresay - I do NOT know anything about the Staunton area. This woman told me that it took her 8 months to find a job in Staunton. She was a waitress, and said she had to move out of the area because of the crime and increase in heroin in the area. This really concerned me, because it looks like a nice area. I tried looking for employment briefly (I sell insurance) and there really didn't seem to be anything.

Does anyone have any insight on what this lady told me? Thanks!!

Be wary of n=1 anecdotes.

Nothing against a waitress or any blue collar worker, but is that your frame of reference, where you are coming from? Are you a waitress, looking for work? Or similar blue collar? Are you looking for a dirt cheap rental? Or what?

I haven't seen you comment on this thread prior to this, so I don't know what you are searching for; are you a soon-to-be retiree flush with cash, or are you looking for a place to live and a minimum wage job to go along with it? If it is white collar bliss you want, then haul out your checkbook and move to Charlottesville (I lived there for nearly a quarter century until about 2 years ago, so I know the area well). Charlottesville is great, but it is very expensive.

I would not hesitate to live in Staunton, but I am retired and I could afford to buy a nice Victorian house in downtown, next to Mary Baldwin College. I would not choose to live in more blue collar neighborhoods in Staunton or anywhere else for that matter. But if you are a blue collar worker, in need of a job, life in Staunton might be fairly miserable, and your immediate neighbors less than desirable, as it might be in just about every city in VA if not in the country.

As for Waynesboro, there are nice pockets, but overall it is even more blue collar-ish than Staunton. I would choose Staunton over Waynesboro. But lots of people live in these communities and commute daily to Charlottesville - lots of white collar staffers at UVA, for instance, can't afford to live in C'ville and live in the valley.