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Harrisonburg, VA

College town · College teaching jobs 2.9x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Harrisonburg

View north along Interstate from the overpass for Virginia State Route in Harrisonburg, Virginia
View north along Interstate from the overpass for Virginia State Route in Harrisonburg, Virginia · Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Harrisonburg's Little Free Library
Harrisonburg's Little Free Library · Photo: Peewee tc, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quad Fall
Quad Fall · Photo: Atb17, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rockingham County Courthouse
Rockingham County Courthouse · Photo: Alma mater, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg in Virginia
Virginia in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Harrisonburg area.

17
grocery stores
98
restaurants
20
coffee shops
29
parks
49
playgrounds
5
libraries
2
movie theaters
2
live theaters
5
museums
9
bookstores
7
gyms
3
bars
5
pharmacies
1
hospital

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Harrisonburg area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
36 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
51 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 17,258 rented homes in the Harrisonburg area, 91% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 41%
$1,000 to $1,499: 31%
$1,500 to $1,999: 18%
$2,000 to $2,499: 6%
$2,500 to $2,999: 2%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Harrisonburg area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Virginia

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Virginia DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Virginia voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Virginia keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Virginia →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

3 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Harrisonburg. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Bridgewater College · Bridgewater
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,436 students · $41,350 a year
James Madison University · Harrisonburg (metro)
Public, 4-year · 22,758 students · $13,576 in-state, $30,790 out-of-state
Eastern Mennonite University · Harrisonburg (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,292 students · $41,860 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$351,755
What a typical home sells for across the Harrisonburg area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
20 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $2,074 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in VA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
Fewer than 10 a year
The CDC doesn't publish exact counts under 10. VA average: 14.3 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$78,468
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.53% of home value a year
About $530 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 5.75%
VA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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