The Town FilesLake Wilderness, Virginia
Community in Spotsylvania County · population 2,960 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $353,100
- Household income
- $120,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 36.1
Lake Wilderness is a community of 2,960 people in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The median home is worth $353,100, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for families than 96% of Virginia towns, better for cycling than 85% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 80% of Virginia towns.
How Lake Wilderness 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 Wilderness is worth $353,100, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $120,700, which is more affordable than 84% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,859 a month. 93.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Wilderness | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $353,100 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,859 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $120,700 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 93.1% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Lake Wilderness
| People | Lake Wilderness | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 37.7 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.0% | 91.8% |
Weather in Lake Wilderness
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 13.1 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
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Wilderness since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 17, 2004 about 9.9 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 29 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 3, 2009.
Severe weather in Spotsylvania County since 1996
Spotsylvania County has been included in 19 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 Spotsylvania County
Spotsylvania County had 37,842 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,962 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Lake Wilderness itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Lake Wilderness
1 public school with 683 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Road Elementary | PK-5 | 683 | 17.1 |
Towns near Lake Wilderness
- Lake of the Woods, VA2.6 mi · 8,081 people · home $399,300
- Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA10.4 mi · 5,610 people · home $395,700
- Fredericksburg, VA13.0 mi · 27,982 people · home $483,700
- Falmouth, VA14.5 mi · 4,956 people · home $438,200
- Culpeper, VA18.7 mi · 20,062 people · home $390,000
- Bealeton, VA19.5 mi · 5,882 people · home $388,400
- Orange, VA21.3 mi · 4,880 people · home $273,300
- Aquia Harbour, VA21.6 mi · 6,836 people · home $461,000
Lake Wilderness questions
Is Lake Wilderness, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Wilderness scores better for retirees than 19% of Virginia towns and quieter than 38%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Lake Wilderness?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Wilderness is valued at $353,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,700, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,859 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Wilderness?
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 13.1 inches of snow.
Does Lake Wilderness get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Wilderness since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 17, 2004. 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)