1st Advantage MortgageBotetourt County households have a median income of $81,213 and median rent of $1,035 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- First look: Botetourt County, VA
- How Botetourt County ranks in Virginia
- How much Botetourt County households make
- What it costs to live in Botetourt County
- Employment and commuting in Botetourt County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Botetourt County communities by population
- Borrowing situations common in Botetourt County
- Debt-to-income at Botetourt County's medians
- Botetourt County households compared
- Lender oversight for Botetourt County
- A Botetourt County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
First look: Botetourt County, VA
With an estimated 34,004 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Botetourt County ranks 50th of 133 in Virginia for population. It covers 541 square miles of land, or about 63 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Roanoke, VA metropolitan area. Daleville (3,797 people) heads the county's list of 9 Census places, 3 incorporated and 6 census-designated.
How Botetourt County ranks in Virginia
Where Botetourt County lands at the extremes of Virginia's county rankings:
- Homeownership: 86% in Botetourt County. Only 9 of 133 Virginia counties are higher. Most households here own, so home equity is often an alternative to weigh.
- Few Virginia counties match Botetourt County on the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 33% here, 49% for the state, ranking 10th lowest of 133. Lower rent burdens mean more renters have slack, but test your own numbers.
- The poverty rate: 6.2% in Botetourt County. Only 13 of 133 Virginia counties are lower. A low poverty rate does not mean every budget has room; test the payment.
How much Botetourt County households make
$81,213 is the median household income for Botetourt County, set against $93,170 for Virginia. Only 46 Virginia counties post a higher median.
| Households earning | Botetourt County | +/- vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.7% | -0.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.6% | +8.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.8% | +0.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.9% | -8.7 pts |
On the low end, 18% of Botetourt County households report under $35,000; at the top, 39% report $100,000-plus. Poverty rate, Botetourt County: 6.2%; Virginia: 9.9%. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
What it costs to live in Botetourt County
Botetourt County rent at the median: $1,035 a month, utilities in ($1,579 in Virginia). 33% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 13% spend half or more. Median value $289,200; median income $81,213; ratio 3.6. Homeowners 86%, renters 14%. Median construction year: 1984. Against the median U.S. county, Botetourt County rent is 18% above.
| Home costs | Botetourt County | Virginia | Compared with Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,035/mo | $1,579/mo | 34% lower |
| Median home value | $289,200 | $383,700 | 25% lower |
| Owners | 86% | 67% | +18.2 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 33% | 49% | -15.6 pts |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 25% | -2.9 pts |
| Mobile homes | 7.9% | 4.3% | +3.6 pts |
Because most Botetourt County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Employment and commuting in Botetourt County
By the Census industry count, 24% of employed Botetourt County residents work in education and health care and 11% in manufacturing. Compared with Virginia, the county leans toward manufacturing (11% against 7%). Unemployment in Botetourt County, ACS five-year: 2.4%; Virginia: 4.3%. Commutes of 45 minutes-plus: 11%; under 15 minutes: 23%.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Botetourt County | Gap to Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.7% | +1.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% | +4.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.0% | -6.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.9% | +0.1 pts |
| Construction | 8.2% | +1.7 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.7% | +2.9 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Covington city at 18 miles out to Lexington city at 24. Income ranges from $41,944 in Covington city to $84,517 in Lexington city; 1 of these neighbors top Botetourt County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botetourt County | - | $81,213 | $1,035/mo | 86% |
| Covington city, VA | 18 mi | $41,944 | $794/mo | 70% |
| Alleghany County, VA | 19 mi | $56,188 | $765/mo | 82% |
| Roanoke city, VA | 22 mi | $55,378 | $996/mo | 52% |
| Bedford County, VA | 23 mi | $78,937 | $952/mo | 85% |
| Salem city, VA | 24 mi | $66,725 | $1,133/mo | 63% |
| Lexington city, VA | 24 mi | $84,517 | $1,081/mo | 54% |
Botetourt County communities by population
The table lists the 9 largest of 9 Census places in Botetourt County, by population. Together all 9 hold about 14,264 people, so roughly 58% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $103,056 at the median in Daleville, $54,226 in Buchanan. Daleville and every other Botetourt County community use this county guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daleville | CDP | 3,797 | $103,056 | $1,793 | 12 mi |
| Cloverdale | CDP | 3,208 | $79,975 | $921 | 16 mi |
| Blue Ridge | CDP | 2,800 | $75,871 | $1,287 | 13 mi |
| Laymantown | CDP | 1,626 | $88,401 | n/a | 14 mi |
| Buchanan | town | 1,367 | $54,226 | $958 | 7 mi |
| Fincastle | town | 858 | $72,609 | $945 | 6 mi |
| Troutville | town | 475 | $63,750 | $1,537 | 11 mi |
| Eagle Rock | CDP | 67 | $67,159 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Glen Wilton | CDP | 66 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Borrowing situations common in Botetourt County
What the Botetourt County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Retirement budgets. In a county with a 48.1 median age, keep any loan term shorter than your plans for the money.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Botetourt County borrower sees (free reports).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Debt-to-income at Botetourt County's medians
Botetourt County's $81,213 median income, run through a debt-to-income check:
- $81,213 a year is $6,768 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $1,035, takes 15% of that
- $1,334: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- $2,010: what a 45% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Botetourt County's.
Botetourt County households compared
In Botetourt County, 28% of adults have at least a four-year degree (42% in Virginia). The uninsured rate is 5.0%, against 6.9% for Virginia.
| Botetourt County | vs Virginia | vs U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 28.5% | -13.7 pts | +6.3 pts |
| Median age | 48.1 | +9.1 yrs | +6.6 yrs |
| Work from home | 12.6% | -5.8 pts | +3.9 pts |
| Poverty rate | 6.2% | -3.7 pts | -7.0 pts |
| No high school diploma | 5.7% | -2.7 pts | n/a |
| No vehicle | 3.7% | -2.4 pts | -1.7 pts |
| No health insurance | 5.0% | -1.9 pts | -2.9 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.4% | -1.9 pts | -2.0 pts |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 23.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 45.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.0% |
| 60+ min | 4.5% |
Lender oversight for Botetourt County
Consumer lenders serving Botetourt County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Virginia that is the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. If a Botetourt County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. State-level detail for Botetourt County borrowers is in the Virginia guide.
A Botetourt County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Botetourt County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Virginia guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is $81,213 a good income in Botetourt County?
It is the county median, so half of Botetourt County households earn more and half less; 39% earn $100,000 or more.
Is Botetourt County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,035 against $1,579 statewide, and 33% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Can Botetourt County owners borrow against a $289,200 home?
Many can, through a home equity loan or line. It is secured by the house, so compare it with an unsecured personal loan before choosing.
I live near Daleville. Which guide is mine?
This one. Daleville and the rest of Botetourt County have no separate city guide.
Is the fit check different in Botetourt County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.