The Town FilesLake of the Woods, Virginia
Community in Orange County · population 8,081 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $399,300
- Household income
- $109,153
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 52.8
Lake of the Woods is a community of 8,081 people in Orange County, Virginia. The median home is worth $399,300, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for families than 92% of Virginia towns, more upscale than 72% of Virginia towns.
How Lake of the Woods 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 Lake of the Woods is worth $399,300, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $109,153, which is more affordable than 57% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,765 a month. 95.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake of the Woods | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $399,300 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,765 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $109,153 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.6% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.3% | — |
Who lives in Lake of the Woods
| People | Lake of the Woods | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.5% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 18.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 44.5 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 91.8% |
Weather in Lake of the Woods
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake of the Woods since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 18, 1990 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 3, 2009.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 Orange County
Orange County had 9,594 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,188 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Lake of the Woods itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Lake of the Woods
3 public schools with 1,681 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Locust Grove Middle | 6-8 | 679 | 15.1 |
| Locust Grove Elementary | 3-5 | 518 | 21.6 |
| Locust Grove Primary | PK-2 | 484 | 17.3 |
Towns near Lake of the Woods
- Lake Wilderness, VA2.6 mi · 2,960 people · home $353,100
- Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA13.0 mi · 5,610 people · home $395,700
- Fredericksburg, VA14.8 mi · 27,982 people · home $483,700
- Falmouth, VA16.0 mi · 4,956 people · home $438,200
- Culpeper, VA16.2 mi · 20,062 people · home $390,000
- Bealeton, VA17.3 mi · 5,882 people · home $388,400
- Orange, VA20.2 mi · 4,880 people · home $273,300
- Aquia Harbour, VA22.1 mi · 6,836 people · home $461,000
Lake of the Woods questions
Is Lake of the Woods, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake of the Woods scores better for retirees than 68% of Virginia towns and quieter than 66%. 34.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Lake of the Woods?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake of the Woods is valued at $399,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,153, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,765 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake of the Woods?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 13.4 inches of snow.
Does Lake of the Woods get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake of the Woods since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 18, 1990. 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)