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Campbell County, VA

Timberlake

RANK #572 / 996 NAT  ·  #12 / 37 VA  ·  POP 55,518

1YR FORECAST: -2.2%

5YR OUTLOOK: +22%

Campbell County's housing market is projected to grow -2.2% over the next year, below the national average.

[01] Why Campbell County?

The village of Rustburg, the county seat, was established in 1784 when Jeremiah Rust donated land for a courthouse. Campbell County, Virginia, located in the south-central Piedmont region, borders the independent city of Lynchburg to its north. Commutes to Lynchburg are typically short, around 10-15 minutes. The county's landscape features rolling hills and proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking trails and access to the Staunton River and Leesville Lake for fishing and paddling.

Life in Campbell County offers a blend of rural and suburban living, with many residents owning their homes. The public school system is above average, with all schools fully accredited. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture, particularly tobacco, has diversified. Recent economic developments include investments in industrial infrastructure, such as a new industrial building in Seneca Commerce Park, and a focus on attracting new businesses and supporting existing manufacturing operations. The county also emphasizes agribusiness and small business support.

[02] Market Snapshot

Housing Ratio
9.6x

Overvalued relative to economy

Home Prices
+1.0%

Below national median

Climate & Terrain
-0.4

Below-average climate & terrain

Price/Rent
10x

Strong rental yield

Housing looks overvalued at 9.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.

[03] Top Employers

  1. 1
    Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear (BWX Technologies) Manufacturing
  2. 2
    Campbell County Schools Education
  3. 3
    Abbott Laboratories Manufacturing
  4. 4
    Campbell County Government Government
  5. 5
    Moore's Electrical & Mechanical Other
  6. 6
    BGF Industries Inc. Manufacturing
  7. 7
    Walmart Retail
  8. 8
    Food Lion Retail
  9. 9
    Foster Fuels Inc. Energy
  10. 10
    The Babcock & Wilcox Co. Manufacturing

Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.

[04] Home Value Growth vs National

Campbell County U.S. National

The Numbers

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population
55,518
-0.25% YoY
Median Household Income
$59,022
Median Home Value
$183,100
+0.96% 12mo
Median Rent
$792
Average Annual Pay
$57,594
+4.5% YoY
Employment
18,480
+1.4% YoY
Income-to-Home-Value
0.3223
More affordable than average
Migration Inflow
5.57%
of pop. from another state
Bachelor's Degree+
24.6%
of residents (national avg: 33%)

Market Activity

REAL ESTATE
Median Sale Price
$272,500
Days on Market
57
Moderate pace
Months of Supply
2.5
Seller's market
Sale-to-List Ratio
99.1%
Near asking price
Sold Above List
23.3%
Listings w/ Price Drops
13.8%
Building Permits (2024)
315
Single-Family Permits
258

Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →

[05] Crime & Safety

C+
SAFETY
GRADE
Homicide Rate
5.7
per 100K · nat avg 6.3
Firearm Fatalities
14.5
per 100K · nat avg 14.8
Injury Deaths
92.5
per 100K · nat avg 76.3
vs National Average
Near national avg
based on homicide rate

Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →

[06] Capital Investment

$233M
TOTAL
PROJECT AMOUNT STATUS
Altavista Solar Farm
Apex Clean Energy (developer), DEPCOM Power (EPC)
$80M Operating
Gladys Solar
Energix Renewables
$53M Planned
BWXT Innovation Campus
BWX Technologies, Inc.
$50M Under Construction
Holiday Inn Express & Restaurant Development
Daly 7 Hospitality Group
$50M Proposed

Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.

[07] Score Breakdown

Population Growth -0.2% 18 percentile
Income Growth +9.5% 72 percentile
Vacancy Rate 0.9% 65 percentile
Home Price Change +1.0% 44 percentile
Rent Growth +2.1% 35 percentile
Price/Rent 10x 88 percentile

Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.

[08] Frequently Asked Questions

Is Campbell County, VA a good place to move to?

Campbell County scores 42/100 on the Boom Town Index, landing in the middle of the pack among 996 U.S. counties (#572). Median household income is $59,022 and job growth is running at +1.4%. The data points to a county with mixed signals — some positive indicators alongside areas that lag faster-growing peers.

Is Campbell County affordable?

Housing in Campbell County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $183,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.32, with rents averaging $792/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.

Is Campbell County growing or shrinking?

Employers in Campbell County are hiring — job growth of +1.4% — but the population is close to flat (-0.2% YoY). Home values moved +1.0% over the past year. Labor demand is outpacing local population growth, which tends to tighten wages and housing.

Are people moving to Campbell County?

In significant numbers — 5.57% of Campbell County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.

[09] Similar Counties by Size & Score

Washington County, VA 42 Henry County, VA 41 Bedford County, VA 40 Frederick County, VA 40 Harrisonburg city, VA 39 Spotsylvania County, VA 38 McKinley County, NM 42 Watauga County, NC 43