Overview

Introduction to Radford, Virginia

Radford, Virginia is 36 miles W of Roanoke, Virginia (center to center) and 132 miles N of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Radford History

William Ingles arrived in this area in 1762 with his wife, Mary Draper Ingles. The couple established Ingles's Ferry, which became a commercial center with a tavern, general store, blacksmith's shop, and other businesses. The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad came to this area in 1854. A depot was built at Lovely Mount and named Central since it was situated between Bristol and Lynchburg. Central developed rapidly and, in 1885, it was officially incorporated as a town. Its name was changed to Radford in 1887.

Radford and nearby Attractions

  • Bisset Park
  • Riverway Trail
  • Wildwood Park
  • Claytor Lake State Park
  • Radford Mountain Bike Park
  • Draper Valley Golf Club

Things To Do In Radford

Radford is located on a large bend of New River. The river serves as a popular hub for recreational opportunities. People frequent the river banks to enjoy picnics or to simply relax. They also enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The city manages over 100 acres of parkland along the riverfront with playgrounds, soccer and football fields, tennis courts, a volleyball court, picnic shelters, and approximately five miles of walking, hiking, and biking trails.

Radford Transportation

Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field Airport is nearby.

Radford Higher Education

Radford University, New River Community College, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University are some of the institutions with facilities for higher education.

Demographics

People

Total Population17,630
Male Share of the Population47.8%
Female Share of the Population52.2%
Senior Citizens8.5%
Employed Population 16+7,659
Age of the Population23

Families

% of people married21.8%
Average household size3

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher34.1%
Median Earnings25+$40,638
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$13,626
Median Earnings With High School Degree$25,064

Wealth

Median Family Income$59,381
% Above Poverty Level64.1%
% Below Poverty Level35.9%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time18 minutes
% Working from Home1.8%
% Walking and Biking to Work11.2%
% Using Public Transportation1.3%

Housing

People Living Alone39.8%
Median Gross Rent$777
Median House Value$164,600

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)22.6%
Irish10.7%
English7.7%
Italian5.6%
French Except Basque2.2%
Scottish2.1%
Polish1.5%
African1.3%
Dutch0.6%
Welsh0.6%
West Indian0.5%
Jamaican0.4%
Hungarian0.4%
Romanian0.3%
Arab0.3%
Ghanaian0.2%
Canadian0.2%
Russian0.2%
Palestinian0.2%
Turkish0.2%
Swiss0.2%
Swedish0.2%
Kenyan0.1%
Liberian0.1%
Trinidad Tobago0.1%
Lithuanian0.1%
Australian0.1%
Lebanese0.1%
Albanian0.1%
US/American0.1%
Austrian0.1%
Danishn0.1%
Norwegian0.1%
Maltese0.1%
Greek0.1%
German0.1%
Portuguese0.1%
+ Show More

Radford Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyRadford City, Radford city
Standard Zip Codes24141
P.O. Box Zip Codes24143, 24142
Phone Area Codes540
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude37.12
Approximate Longitude-80.55

Radford Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationBLACKSBURG
Distance10.2 miles
Jan Temp21 to 41 F
Apr Temp37 to 63 F
Jul Temp60 to 83 F
Oct Temp38 to 65 F
Annual Precip42.6 inches
StationUNION 3 SSE
Distance29.2 miles
Jan Temp19 to 40 F
Apr Temp36 to 63 F
Jul Temp58 to 84 F
Oct Temp37 to 66 F
Annual Precip36.1 inches
StationBLAND
Distance29.7 miles
Jan Temp19 to 41 F
Apr Temp35 to 62 F
Jul Temp58 to 82 F
Oct Temp36 to 66 F
Annual Precip40.2 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Blacksburg44,245$85,985
Christiansburg22,049$76,813
Dublin2,655$54,042
Pearisburg2,669$57,399
Pembroke1,056$50,536
Pulaski8,794$55,894

Radford Public Libraries

Radford Public Library
30 WEST MAIN ST.
Radford, Virginia
(540) 731-3621

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Radford Public Schools

Belle Heth Elem
151 George Street
ZIP: 24141
(540) 731-3653
Primary
Total Enrollment 505
Belview Elem
3187 Peppers Ferry Rd
ZIP: 24141
(540) 633-3200
Primary
Total Enrollment 293
Indian Valley Elem
4130 Indian Valley Rd Nw
ZIP: 24141
(540) 745-9420
Primary
Total Enrollment 163
John N. Dalton Int.
60 Dalton Dr
ZIP: 24141
(540) 731-3651
Middle
Total Enrollment 263
Mcharg Elem
700 Twelfth St
ZIP: 24141
(540) 731-3652
Primary
Total Enrollment 406
Radford High
50 Dalton Dr
ZIP: 24141
(540) 731-3649
High
Total Enrollment 490
Sources :
Additional Details
Radford Colleges
Radford colleges and trade schools.
Our Partner Listings
Additional Resources
Info for Radford Government Officials


Are you an official in the Radford government or quasi-government agency such as the chamber of commerce, visitors bureau or economic development council? If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you.