Living in Radford, Virginia
A small college town on a bend of the New River. Tax rates are among the lowest in the valley, and some houses sit right on the water.
Housing market
Public assessments put a typical Radford home at around 1,379 sqft, about $152/sqft. These are assessed values, not sale prices.
Schools
Radford City Schools reports a 92% on-time graduation rate, with 72% passing Math and 84% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments (VDOE School Quality Profile).
Amenities & walkability
Within a few miles you'll find about 39 restaurants & cafes and 9 grocery stores. The town center is somewhat walkable (27 walkable spots within a mile). Counts from OpenStreetMap.
Parks & the outdoors
Radford has roughly 13 parks, 1 dog parks, nearby, with easy access to Bisset Park, Wildwood Park, New River Trail. Park counts from OpenStreetMap; destinations are well-known local landmarks.
Public parks & trails include Bisset Park, McCoy Park, Montgomery County Park, Plum Creek Park, Public Boat Landing, Radford Army Ammunition Plant 2, Selu Conservancy, Wildwood Park. From county/city GIS.
Local businesses
A sample of Radford businesses from OpenStreetMap: grocery stores, restaurants, and the everyday places you look for first.
Grocery & markets
- Food City
- Food Lion — 1200 Tyler Avenue
- Kroger — 7480 Lee Highway, Radford, VA 24141
- Walmart Supercenter — 7373 Peppers Ferry Boulevard, Fairlawn, VA 24141
Restaurants
- Amando's Italian Kitchen — 1154 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24141
- Bee & Butter — 600 Tyler Avenue
- Benny Nicola's
- Bojangles' — 7455 Lee Highway, Radford, VA 24141
- Chick-fil-A — Fairfax Street, Dalton Hall, VA 24142
- Chipotle — 7406 Lee Highway, Fairlawn, VA 24141
Cafes & coffee
- Arabica Cafe & Bakery — 1158 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24141
- Radford Coffee Company — 33 West Main Street
- Starbucks
Bakeries
- Phoenix Rising Dough — 1019 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24141-1747
Bars & breweries
- BT's
- Long Way Brewery — 501 2nd Street
- Sharkey's — 1202 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24141
Pharmacies
Banks
- Bank of America
- Truist
- Wells Fargo — 1040 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24141
Hardware & home
- Lowe's — 6115 Lowes Drive, Radford, VA 24141
Gas stations
- BP
- Bucko's Pantry
- Exxon
- Pure
- Radford Travel Center — 2395 Tyler Road, Christiansburg, VA 24073
- Sheetz
Convenience stores
- 7-Eleven — 302 Tyler Avenue, Radford, VA 24141
- Sheetz — 7335 Lee Highway, Fairlawn, VA 24141
- Speedway — 7455 Lee Highway, Radford, VA 24141
Personal care
- Angel's A Cut Above — 1073 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24141
- Central Barber Shop
- Central Hair Company — 303 West Main Street
Business listings from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); hours and details change, so verify before you go. Own one of these? A claim/advertising option is coming.
Newcomer resources
Government & towns
Schools & enrollment
Major employers
Parks & the outdoors
Pets & animal services
Community & events
Year-round, the community turns out for the Radford Highlanders Festival (October), RiverFest on the New River, Radford University arts & athletics.
Major employers & institutions
The biggest workplaces in and around Radford: the universities, hospitals, plants, and offices that anchor the local economy.
Universities
- Radford University — ~1,800 jobs
Hospitals & health systems
- Carilion clinics
- Carilion Clinic Saint Albans Hospital — 36 beds
- Carilion New River Valley Medical Center
- Radford Health Clinic
Manufacturing & factories
- BAE Systems at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant
- Moog
- Motion Control System
- Radford Army Ammunition Plant
Government & public sector
- A. D. Covington Law
- Brumberg Wall Law
- Radford City Offices
- Radford City Public Schools
Major employers & offices
- Nippon Pulse America
Business & industrial parks
- Camrett Logistics
- Claytor Hydro Water Power Plant
- Radford Industrial Center
A starting list of the area's largest workplaces, compiled from public sources and OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).
Healthcare
Local Carilion clinics; hospitals in nearby Christiansburg and Pulaski; Level I trauma in Roanoke (~50 minutes).
Internet & remote work
Glo Fiber launched in Radford in late 2025 alongside Comcast/Xfinity, so remote work is well covered for a small city.
Climate
New River corridor climate, similar to the rest of the NRV, with four seasons and cool winters.
Safety
A university city on the river: low violent crime. Safety varies block to block, so check current local crime data before you decide.
By the numbers
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Frequently asked questions
What are property taxes like in Radford?
Radford's real-estate tax rate is about $0.76 per $100 of assessed value (roughly 0.76% a year).
How are the schools in Radford?
Radford City Schools reports a 92% on-time graduation rate, with 72% passing Math and 84% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments.
Who are the major employers near Radford?
Major employers include Radford University (~1,800 jobs), Carilion clinics, Radford City Public Schools, BAE Systems at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (nearby, major regional employer).
Where is the nearest hospital to Radford?
Local Carilion clinics; hospitals in nearby Christiansburg and Pulaski; Level I trauma in Roanoke (~50 minutes).
Compare nearby areas
Moving from out of state?
See your tax and cost-of-living savings if you're moving from out of state:
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Get the numbers for a move to Radford →
Also exploring Southwest Virginia?
This is the New River Valley guide. Looking a little further out? See our companion guide: