The Town FilesStuarts Draft, Virginia
Community in Augusta County · population 12,142 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $294,300
- Household income
- $79,332
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 45.5
Stuarts Draft is a community of 12,142 people in Augusta County, Virginia. The median home is worth $294,300, close to the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of Virginia towns, easier by car than 85% of Virginia towns.
How Stuarts Draft 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 Stuarts Draft is worth $294,300, close to the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $79,332, which is more affordable than 57% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,201 a month. 78.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stuarts Draft | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $294,300 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,201 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $79,332 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.2% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Stuarts Draft
| People | Stuarts Draft | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.5 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 91.8% |
Weather in Stuarts Draft
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 20.4 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
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stuarts Draft since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 29, 1963 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 26, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 24, 1989.
Severe weather in Augusta County since 1996
Augusta County has been included in 24 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 |
| 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3359: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Augusta County
Augusta County had 29,861 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,516 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Stuarts Draft itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Stuarts Draft
4 public schools with 2,282 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuarts Draft High | 9-12 | 712 | 15.1 |
| Stuarts Draft Elementary | PK-5 | 613 | 16.6 |
| Stuarts Draft Middle | 6-8 | 504 | 13.6 |
| Guy K. Stump Elementary | PK-5 | 453 | 15.6 |
Towns near Stuarts Draft
- Fishersville, VA6.3 mi · 9,629 people · home $348,900
- Waynesboro, VA8.0 mi · 22,196 people · home $245,500
- Staunton, VA9.7 mi · 25,750 people · home $259,200
- Verona, VA12.2 mi · 4,398 people · home $256,200
- Crozet, VA18.6 mi · 9,224 people · home $547,200
- Weyers Cave, VA19.2 mi · 2,700 people · home $283,800
- Grottoes, VA20.7 mi · 2,899 people · home $275,700
- Bridgewater, VA25.8 mi · 6,596 people · home $384,700
Stuarts Draft questions
Is Stuarts Draft, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stuarts Draft scores better for retirees than 46% of Virginia towns and quieter than 67%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.5).
How much does a house cost in Stuarts Draft?
The median owner-occupied home in Stuarts Draft is valued at $294,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,332, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,201 a month.
What is the weather like in Stuarts Draft?
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 20.4 inches of snow.
Does Stuarts Draft get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stuarts Draft since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 29, 1963. 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)