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Who moves to Roanoke, and where they go

Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Roanoke city, VA, home of Roanoke, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.

Moved in
5,926from other US counties
Moved out
6,065to other US counties
Net
−139more departures than arrivals
From abroad
n/atax filers and dependents only

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Where newcomers come from

CountyPeople
Roanoke County, VA1,553
Salem city, VA431
Franklin County, VA264
Botetourt County, VA249
Bedford County, VA231
Montgomery County, VA156
Lynchburg city, VA (Lynchburg)74
Fairfax County, VA (Reston)55
Guilford County, NC (Greensboro)41
Forsyth County, NC (Winston-Salem)36
Radford city, VA35
Albemarle County, VA33

Where people go when they leave

CountyPeople
Roanoke County, VA1,916
Salem city, VA456
Botetourt County, VA320
Franklin County, VA277
Bedford County, VA271
Montgomery County, VA142
Mecklenburg County, NC (Charlotte)77
Guilford County, NC (Greensboro)72
Richmond city, VA (Richmond)55
Henrico County, VA46
Henry County, VA46
Lynchburg city, VA (Lynchburg)45

Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 3,844 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Virginia and 2,082 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:

Long-distance newcomers come from

CountyPeople
Fairfax County, VA (Reston)55
Mecklenburg County, NC (Charlotte)32
Richmond city, VA (Richmond)31

Long-distance movers go to

CountyPeople
Mecklenburg County, NC (Charlotte)77
Richmond city, VA (Richmond)55
Henrico County, VA46
Wake County, NC (Raleigh)45
Chesterfield County, VA34
Fairfax County, VA (Reston)29

Frequently asked questions

Where do people moving to Roanoke come from?

Most people moving into Roanoke city, VA come from nearby counties, led by Roanoke County, VA (1,553 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Fairfax County, VA.

Where do people leaving Roanoke move to?

The top destination is Roanoke County, VA (1,916 people). Farther away, the most popular is Mecklenburg County, NC.

Are more people moving to Roanoke or leaving?

Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 5,926 people moved into Roanoke city, VA from elsewhere in the US and 6,065 moved out, a net loss of 139 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).

Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Roanoke with any city it trades people with, like Roanoke vs Reston, Roanoke vs Charlotte, Roanoke vs Richmond, Roanoke vs Raleigh.

Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Roanoke.