The New River in Giles County, VA
Photo: Jllackey / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Living in Giles County, Virginia

The New River runs straight through Giles County. Pearisburg and Narrows anchor a rural, lower-tax county with Appalachian Trail access and mountain-town pace.

$177,000
Median home
0.68
Tax per $100
93%
Grad rate
Car-dependent
Walkability
See what you can afford in Giles County →
Giles County Courthouse: Interior Stairs
Photo: taberandrew / CC BY 2.0 · Openverse

Housing market

The median sale price in Giles County is $177,000, with most homes between $100,000 and $254,500.

Local starting points

Home-buying activity

In 2024, lenders financed 159 home purchases in Giles County, at a median mortgage of $175,000. 71% of new mortgages were purchases rather than refinances.

About 24% of mortgage applications were denied. Source: federal HMDA mortgage data (2024).

Jobs & hiring

A sample of what's open right now at New River Valley-area employers (on-site & remote):

See all open roles & the RBTC job board →

Schools

Giles County Public Schools reports a 93% on-time graduation rate, with 63% passing Math and 72% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments (VDOE School Quality Profile).

Giles County Public Schools →

Before you choose an address

Check a specific address for nearby schools, commute, and services →

Compare school signals across New River Valley →

Amenities & walkability

Within a few miles you'll find about 13 restaurants & cafes and 5 grocery stores. The town center is car-dependent (1 walkable spots within a mile). Counts from OpenStreetMap.

Delivery & shopping apps

For everyday convenience, these are the clearest delivery-service signals we found for Giles County.

Exact delivery windows can vary by address, item, membership, restaurant hours, and driver availability. These checks use public service pages and do not log into private accounts.

Parks & the outdoors

Giles County has roughly 3 parks nearby, with easy access to Cascades National Recreation Trail, Appalachian Trail, New River Water Trail. Park counts from OpenStreetMap; destinations are well-known local landmarks.

Public parks & trails include Narrows Town Park, Pearisburg Community Center Park, Whitt-Riverbend Park, Appalachian Trail, Cascades National Recreation Trail, New River Water Trail. From county/city GIS.

Local rhythm

Weekdays

Daily life follows US-460, with Pearisburg, Narrows, Pembroke, and Rich Creek handling most close-in errands.

Weekends

The New River, Cascades, the Appalachian Trail, and small-town events drive the weekend rhythm.

Newcomer tip

Verify broadband, cell coverage, and commute time at the exact address before you count on a rural listing.

River and trail seasons bring more visitors through the county.

Local businesses

Use this as a daily-life snapshot: grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, and everyday places that help you picture a normal week in Giles County. Owner-approved details appear when available.

Grocery & markets

Restaurants

Cafes & coffee

Shops & retail

Health & medical

Pharmacies

Personal care

Hotels & lodging

Banks

Hardware & home

Auto services

Churches & faith communities

Other services

Gas stations

Convenience stores

Browse the full Giles County directory, search businesses, parks & employers →

Business listings start from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and public local directories; owner-approved updates appear after review. Own or manage one? Claim or add your listing.

Newcomer resources

Government & towns

Schools & enrollment

Health & urgent care

Parks & the outdoors

Things to do

Pets & animal services

Newcomer & community

Community & events

Year-round, locals turn out for Giles County's New River outdoor season, Pearisburg and Narrows small-town festivals, Cascades and Appalachian Trail weekends.

Sports & recreation

From college athletics to local clubs, here is what to catch in and around Giles County.

Parks & recreation

Curated local teams and venues.

Major employers & institutions

The biggest workplaces in and around Giles County: the universities, hospitals, plants, and offices that anchor the local economy.

Hospitals & health systems

Manufacturing & factories

Government & public sector

A starting list of the area's largest workplaces, compiled from public sources and OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).

Healthcare

Carilion Giles Community Hospital in Pearisburg covers local emergency and routine care; higher-acuity specialty care usually points to Christiansburg or Roanoke.

Check drive times to care from a specific address →

Internet & remote work

Cable, DSL, fixed-wireless, and rural fiber availability vary sharply by road, so remote workers should verify a specific address before making an offer.

Verify broadband at the address level →

Climate

Mountain-valley NRV climate with four seasons; river corridors can feel warmer than the ridges and winter weather varies by elevation.

Safety

Very rural, with small-town centers in Pearisburg, Narrows, Pembroke, and Rich Creek. Safety varies block to block, so check current local crime data before you decide.

By the numbers

$780 /mo
Median gross rent
$64,819
Median household income

Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates.

Frequently asked questions

How much do homes cost in Giles County?

The median sale price in Giles County is $177,000, with most homes between $100,000 and $254,500.

What are property taxes like in Giles County?

Giles County's real-estate tax rate is about $0.68 per $100 of assessed value (roughly 0.68% a year).

How are the schools in Giles County?

Giles County Public Schools reports a 93% on-time graduation rate, with 63% passing Math and 72% passing Reading on Virginia SOL assessments.

Who are the major employers near Giles County?

Major employers include Giles County Public Schools, Carilion Giles Community Hospital, Celanese Narrows plant, Giles County government and outdoor recreation.

Where is the nearest hospital to Giles County?

Carilion Giles Community Hospital in Pearisburg covers local emergency and routine care; higher-acuity specialty care usually points to Christiansburg or Roanoke.

Compare nearby areas

More walkable errands

Montgomery County

193 walkable spots in the amenity scan versus 1 here.

More walkable errands

Radford

27 walkable spots in the amenity scan versus 1 here.

More walkable errands

Pulaski County

18 walkable spots in the amenity scan versus 1 here.

Moving from out of state?

See your tax and cost-of-living savings if you're moving from out of state:

Giles County Courthouse
Photo: taberandrew / CC BY 2.0 · Openverse

Local headlines

All local news →

Compare costs in the moving guide →

Sources and freshness

How to read the data for Living in Giles County.

Still choosing between Southwest Virginia markets?

This page is focused on New River Valley. Use the region split below to keep nearby towns, commute patterns, and local data straight.

Current guide

New River Valley

Where Virginia Tech, the New River, and the Blue Ridge all meet, with some of the lowest tax rates in the region.

Montgomery CountyRadfordPulaski CountyGiles CountyFloyd County
Companion guide

Roanoke Metro

A walkable small city with a Level I trauma center and miles of mountain greenway, for a lot less than the coast costs.

Roanoke CountyRoanoke CitySalem
Open Roanoke guide