Areas around HORSE PASTURE, VA. (Roanoke, Lexington: house, high school, living in)

[drk]

I want a small town wwith the following: small high school (1000 or less) maybe a diner or two, a decent grocery store, restaurants and shopping within 20-30 minutes away. A safe place to raise teen daughters. A good "mayberry" feeling without being a dried up going no where place. Housing tht is affordable ($500.00 to $800.00 a month) apt or small house that allows pets. A church with an active youth group. I KNOW I am asking for a lot, but I need a better life for my girls and here in Naples FL is not where it is at. My girls picked VA. They want to live among the mountains.
HELP, please
dk

[PaperTrail]

The place that pops into my head is Fincastle. I've only been able to visit there temporarily, but a friend of mine used to live there and run the newspaper in that town. He enjoyed it there.....close to the mountains and the national forests, and he said that driving Route 11, which goes into Roanoke, is one of the best drives ever. Plus you're close enough to a city for shopping, restaurants, etc.

Plus, I think Botetourt County schools are pretty good, though I couldn't guarantee that the high school is small (haven't looked it up before).

I'm inclined to steer you away from Horse Pasture. I have in-laws living in and around that area, and it fails to meet one requirement you mentioned:

Originally Posted by drk

A good "mayberry" feeling without being a dried up going no where place.

I think that region is dying a slow death. It's kind of bums me out just visiting there.

[roanoker 4]

The place that comes to my mind here in Virginia is Buena Vista. It is about
50 miles north of Roanoke, close to Lexington. It has a small high school, it is like Mayberry(I drove through there recently and someone waved at me). It has a small restaurant, in the mountains. You will love it there!!