Roanoke County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roanoke County
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Roanoke County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
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 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Virginia |
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| Founded | March 30, 1838 | ||||
| Named for | Roanoke River | ||||
| Seat | Salem | ||||
| Largest town | Vinton | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 251.3 sq mi (651 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 250.6 sq mi (649 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) 0.3% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 96,929 | ||||
| • Density | 385.71/sq mi (148.924/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| Congressional districts | 6th, 9th | ||||
Roanoke County is a county in the state of Virginia, USA. In 2020, about 96,929 people lived there. The main government office, called the county seat, is in Salem. However, many county offices are in a place called Cave Spring.
Roanoke County is part of the larger Roanoke area. This area is known as the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is also part of the Roanoke Region of Virginia.
The cities of Roanoke and Salem are special. They are called independent cities. This means they are inside Roanoke County's borders but are not part of the county government. The town of Vinton is the only town that is part of the county. A lot of the county has mountains and open land. But most people live in the suburbs close to Roanoke and Salem. These areas are in the Roanoke Valley.
Contents
History of Roanoke County
Roanoke County was created on March 30, 1838. This happened when the Virginia Legislature decided to split off the southern part of Botetourt County. The county got its name from the Roanoke River. The river's name comes from a Native American word for money.
More land was added to Roanoke County from Montgomery County in 1845. Salem was the first county seat. Later, Salem became an independent city. The Roanoke County Courthouse stayed in Salem. The county and city still share a jail. However, the main county offices moved to the Cave Spring area.
Geography and Nature
The U.S. Census Bureau says Roanoke County covers about 251.3 square miles. Most of this (250.6 square miles) is land. A small part (0.7 square miles) is water.
How the County is Governed
A group called the Board of Supervisors runs the county. There are five members on this board. Each member is chosen from one of five areas called magisterial districts. These districts are Catawba, Cave Spring, Hollins, Vinton, and Windsor Hills. Vinton is a town with its own elected council and manager.
Neighboring Areas
Roanoke County shares borders with several other counties and cities:
- Bedford County, Virginia - East
- Botetourt County, Virginia - Northeast
- Craig County, Virginia - Northwest
- Floyd County, Virginia - Southwest
- Franklin County, Virginia - Southeast
- Montgomery County, Virginia - West
- Roanoke, Virginia - Center (a city completely surrounded by the county)
- Salem, Virginia - Center (another city completely surrounded by the county)
Protected Natural Places
Parts of these important natural areas are in Roanoke County:
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Jefferson National Forest
Main Roads
Many important roads run through Roanoke County:
I-73 (future road)
I-81
I-581
US 11
US 220
US 221
US 460
SR 24
SR 115
SR 116
SR 117
SR 118
SR 311
SR 419
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 5,499 | — | |
| 1850 | 8,477 | 54.2% | |
| 1860 | 8,048 | −5.1% | |
| 1870 | 9,350 | 16.2% | |
| 1880 | 13,105 | 40.2% | |
| 1890 | 30,101 | 129.7% | |
| 1900 | 15,837 | −47.4% | |
| 1910 | 19,623 | 23.9% | |
| 1920 | 22,395 | 14.1% | |
| 1930 | 35,289 | 57.6% | |
| 1940 | 42,897 | 21.6% | |
| 1950 | 41,486 | −3.3% | |
| 1960 | 61,693 | 48.7% | |
| 1970 | 67,339 | 9.2% | |
| 1980 | 72,945 | 8.3% | |
| 1990 | 79,332 | 8.8% | |
| 2000 | 85,778 | 8.1% | |
| 2010 | 92,376 | 7.7% | |
| 2020 | 96,929 | 4.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020 |
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People in 2020
The table below shows the different groups of people living in Roanoke County in 2010 and 2020.
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 81,886 | 79,928 | 88.64% | 82.46% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,580 | 5,650 | 4.96% | 5.83% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 121 | 155 | 0.13% | 0.16% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 2,455 | 3,425 | 2.66% | 3.53% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 26 | 24 | 0.03% | 0.02% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 89 | 435 | 0.10% | 0.45% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,268 | 3,805 | 1.37% | 3.93% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,951 | 3,507 | 2.11% | 3.62% |
| Total | 92,376 | 96,929 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: The U.S. Census counts Hispanic/Latino people as an ethnic group. This table separates them from the other racial groups.
Education in Roanoke County
Roanoke County has five public high schools:
- Cave Spring High School
- Glenvar High School
- Hidden Valley High School
- Northside High School
- William Byrd High School
Hollins University is in the northern part of Roanoke County. It is a college for women. Roanoke College is in the city of Salem, which is inside Roanoke County's borders. The old courthouse in Salem is now a building for Roanoke College.
Famous People from Roanoke County
Some well-known sports figures grew up in Roanoke County. These include Tiki Barber and Ronde Barber, who are famous football players. J. J. Redick is a well-known basketball player. All three went to Cave Spring High School.
Communities in Roanoke County
Town
Census-designated places
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated:
Other Communities
- Back Creek
- Bent Mountain
- Bonsack
- Catawba
- Clearbrook
- Fort Lewis
- Hanging Rock
- Masons Cove
- Mount Pleasant
- Oak Grove
- Penn Forest
- Poages Mill
Many of these places use mailing addresses from the cities of Roanoke and Salem.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Roanoke para niños
