Why do so many people on here choose Roanoke? (Lynchburg: spring break, renting)

[seanpecor]

Texas Tavern Roanoke,Va

Killer chili dogs. Killer. You're welcome

Also, for the most awesomest hamburgers in Roanoke head to the city market building for lunch and have a Burger on the Square. They grind their own hamburger and I think they sneak some opium in there or something. They're so good they should be illegal. Plus the atmosophere is very Boston Market if only for a few thousand square feet.

Sean

[j1n]

Originally Posted by seanpecor

Texas Tavern Roanoke,Va

Killer chili dogs. Killer. You're welcome

thanks. now when you say "killer", do you mean "killer" like "yummy"?? or do you mean "killer" like "yummy...now floor it for home 'cause that hotdog's killing me!!"

ahh, who am I kidding...either way, I'm there.

[spark240]

Originally Posted by badger74

Enclosed malls are generally considered somewhat obsolete and being replaced by open air lifestyle centers

Is that what we used to call a "town"?

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by spark240

Is that what we used to call a "town"?

Too Funny

Sean

[badger74]

Yes but with better prices and selections. I still remember growing up in a town with a Main Street and the small dusty shops with a cranky owner and overpriced goods from 5 years ago. It was not all that great. All I really miss are the good local bakery and butcher store. The rest belong in the economic scrapyard.

[badger74]

Updated net migration numbers. Despite the evident greater intrerest here in moving to R over L, the metro data for both cities and their suburbs shows FAR more net migration to L over R.

Here are the numbers for 2004-2007

R-6,788

L-11,028

L is kicking R's butt.

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by badger74

Here are the numbers for 2004-2007

R-6,788

L-11,028

L is kicking R's butt.

The provisional population growth from the beginning of 2004 to 2007 in the Roanoke MSA exceeds 10,000. I didn't look up Lynchburg, but I'm not surprised Lynchburg's population increased faster than Roanoke's did. The reality is that Lynchburg had slightly higher job growth compared to Roanoke from 2004 through 2008. The question is, at what cost? I'm getting the sense - after looking over statistics - that Lynchburg has begun a median salary slide.

Population growth is a nice statistic, to be sure. But choosing whether to live in Roanoke vs Lynchburg, if you have job prospects in either location, becomes more a matter of personal preference. To be sure, there are more people who want to move to Roanoke than there are jobs to offer them. That hinders growth, but is it a negative factor? Not necessarily.

According to the 2007 U.S. Census American Community Survey, here is how Lynchburg and Roanoke compare:

- A higher % of families live in poverty in Lynchburg.
- The Roanoke median household income is 6.5% higher.
- A family in Lynchburg is almost twice as likely to need food stamps.
- The unemployment rate is lower in Roanoke.
- Your commute is longer in Lynchburg.
- Single people w/ no children have a 10% higher median income in Roanoke.

With these numbers, it is not surprising that more people express interest in Roanoke than they do for Lynchburg. First, Roanoke is larger and attracts a proportionately larger base of inquiries. Second, those who make use of the Internet for research are folks who are slightly more likely to find Roanoke to be more desirable due to the statistics I outlined above.

Don't get me wrong. I think Lynchburg is a nice place to live. We're all Virginians, no? But I felt I had to answer your post with my own perspective and findings in order to provide some balance.

Sean

[j1n]

Originally Posted by badger74

Updated net migration numbers. Despite the evident greater intrerest here in moving to R over L, the metro data for both cities and their suburbs shows FAR more net migration to L over R.

Here are the numbers for 2004-2007

R-6,788

L-11,028

L is kicking R's butt.

here's the way I see it...
let L-burg grow and thrive. Roanoke is a pretty perfect little city nestled in some beautiful mountains. If I run out of stuff to do here, I can run over to L-burg (in the flatlands) totake advantage of what's going on there. Then I can come home to the mountains.

[smalltownusa]

Why Roanoke? Do you believe in love at first sight? We discovered Roanoke 15 years ago when we went to visit family that had been transferred there. When we 1st drove into town, it felt like I had come home....yeah yeah, sounds real corny but it's true....and I felt like a Southern Belle trapped in a Yankee body!

We've stuck it out in upstate NY as we made the decision to keep our kids planted in the same school until graduation (2011 the last one crosses the stage ). Meanwhile, we grew tired of the ever-rising cost of living in NY and the vicious winters.....so south we will go.....

In simple terms, Roanoke is "just enough" for us: the location is just enough south, the winters are just enough mild, the summers are just enough hot, and overall, the feeling we have for the area is just enough perfect....

We are visiting in April on the way up from Myrtle to check out the area as we prepare for the day NYS is just a dot in my rearview mirror..... 29 months and counting!!!!!

[ladypaints2play]

I just don't know why people are trashing any town, the place where you live is what you make of it, there are things to do in any town in va, and there is only a short drive, to another small town, to find something else to do, people are just too lazy to search for good things to do, there are free things, low cost things, and things that are more costly. Your income is the only thing that can bind you up, and the city buses take you to blacksburg,salem, and all parts of roanoke. If you are at a loss of things to do, go to your local nursing home and visit with people that can't get out, maybe take them out with you on an excursion, go to the rescue mission, and serve someone lunch, go to the local battered womens shelter and see what you can do to help out there....then othere things will be more interesting to you, whatever you are into, roanoke and the outlaying areas have almost everything you could want to ge into, as far as the violence, you are going to find that anywhere, it is up to the people of the city as to what they are going to put up with, where you go what you do.....and jobs...well they are tough anywhere,and are goint to get tougher...i myself find plenty to do taking care of me and my own, recreation wise, i don't have much money, but there are like i said plenty of free things, read to my granddaughter, color with her, take a hike, fishing,.....people are going to have to find some simpler things to do and less costly ways to do it.....good luck to everyone!