Why Live in Franklin County, VA
As someone that grew up in the Moonshine Capital of the World, I can tell you that Franklin County is a wonderful place to live, raise a family and enjoy life.
From the two lakes, Leesville and Smith Mountain, Roanoke to the North and Martinsville to the South, the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding the county and beautiful rolling hills, there is plenty for everyone to enjoy.
Today, I’d like to share with you a few reasons why you should own a home in the “Land Between the Lakes”.
It’s a Slower Pace of Life
One thing I can tell you is that living in FC, you notice that life just seems a lot slower, people are friendly and there is a lot less stress.
Part of that charm is the old-school mentality, plenty of farming still exists in most regions of the county and while some places have grown a lot, like Westlake for example, the county in many ways is set at it owns pace.
From rolling down the Crooked Road, enjoying a concert at The Harvester, to sightseeing at the Lake, there is a wealth of outdoor things to do with the family at a snail’s pace.
It’s Family Friendly
Franklin County is also very family friendly when it comes to raising kids. You’ll find plenty of youth sporting groups like T-Ball, programs at the YMCA, wonderful parks like Wade Park just outside of Rocky Mount, Franklin County Recreation Park.
You also have the Martinsville Speedway, a NASCAR track not far from the county line, boating at both lakes and as well as state parks at both Leesville and Smith Mountain too.
The school system in the county is fairly large with elementary schools in each district of the county, followed by one middle school that has an East and West building and one High School, Franklin County High, one of the largest in the region with a 27-acre campus housing more than 2,000 students.
It’s a Great Bedroom Community
You’ll find that the county has also become more of a bedroom community over the last 25 years, with many people working in Roanoke and commuting back and forth on US 220 each day.
The growth of the county from when I was a kid was about 36,000 people, fast forward to 2023, that number is 54,900 with lots of people moving to the area.
A popular reason for people to flock here is the lower taxes and cost of living as well at the popularity of SML (Smith Mountain Lake)
Lower Cost of Living
If you live outside SWVA, chances are you will find out that living here is generally much more affordable than other places in Virginia.
For example, residents of Franklin County have a 70% less cost of living compared to those living in NOVA, that according to BestPlaces.net.
While that’s a lot, things just cost a lot less in this region, so you don’t need to make those NOVA salaries in order to live very comfortably here.
Additionally, taxes in the county are also very reasonable compared to others in Virginia.
