The Town FilesGrottoes, Virginia
Town in Rockingham County · population 2,899 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $275,700
- Household income
- $100,291
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 39.7
Grottoes is a town of 2,899 people in Rockingham County, Virginia. The median home is worth $275,700, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Virginia towns, better for families than 78% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 76% of Virginia towns.
How Grottoes ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Grottoes is worth $275,700, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $100,291, which is more affordable than 87% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $840 a month. 81.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grottoes | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,700 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $840 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $100,291 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.0% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Grottoes
| People | Grottoes | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.8% | 91.8% |
Weather in Grottoes
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 23.4°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.8 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grottoes since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 5, 1952 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 15, 2019.
Severe weather in Rockingham County since 1996
Rockingham County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 4, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4863: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
Jobs and pay in Rockingham County
Rockingham County had 35,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,264 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Grottoes itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Grottoes
1 public school with 314 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South River Elementary | PK-5 | 314 | 13.7 |
Towns near Grottoes
- Weyers Cave, VA4.8 mi · 2,700 people · home $283,800
- Massanetta Springs, VA8.7 mi · 6,384 people · home $467,700
- Bridgewater, VA11.1 mi · 6,596 people · home $384,700
- Verona, VA11.2 mi · 4,398 people · home $256,200
- Harrisonburg, VA11.8 mi · 51,814 people · home $299,100
- Fishersville, VA14.5 mi · 9,629 people · home $348,900
- Waynesboro, VA14.6 mi · 22,196 people · home $245,500
- Staunton, VA15.0 mi · 25,750 people · home $259,200
Grottoes questions
Is Grottoes, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grottoes scores better for retirees than 65% of Virginia towns and quieter than 71%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Grottoes?
The median owner-occupied home in Grottoes is valued at $275,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,291, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $840 a month.
What is the weather like in Grottoes?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 23.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 17.8 inches of snow.
Does Grottoes get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grottoes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 5, 1952. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)