Situated in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke County is a picturesque and historic place. Sprawled across 251 square miles, it is home to approximately 94,000 individuals.
There are certain communities with greater crime rates than others, even though Roanoke County is usually regarded as a safe place to live. The five most dangerous neighborhoods in Roanoke County will be discussed in this article, with reference to crime statistics obtained from CrimeGrade.org.
| Neighborhood | Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents) |
| Hollins | 41.9 |
| Vinton | 36.7 |
| Cave Spring | 28.4 |
| Glenvar | 23.6 |
| Oak Grove | 22.9 |
Hollins
Hollins is a place in the northern part of Roanoke County, with around 15,000 people living there. It has Hollins University, which is a private women’s college, along with some shopping centers and restaurants.
But, it’s important to know that Hollins has the highest crime rate in Roanoke County, with 41.9 crimes for every 1,000 residents. Overall, it has been given a D- grade for crime, a C- grade for violent crime, and a D grade for property crime.
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Vinton
Vinton is a town in the eastern part of Roanoke County with around 8,000 people. It’s famous for events like the Vinton Dogwood Festival and Vinton Fall Festival.
But, Vinton faces a challenge with the second-highest crime rate in Roanoke County, having 36.7 crimes per 1,000 residents. The town gets a D grade for overall crime, a C for violent crime, and a D- for property crime.
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Cave Spring
Cave Spring is a community in the southwest of Roanoke County, with around 25,000 people living there. It’s like a suburb, having schools, parks, and businesses.
But, there’s a concern about safety. Cave Spring has the third-highest crime rate in Roanoke County, with 28.4 crimes for every 1,000 people. When it comes to crime grades, it got a C for overall crime, a B- for violent crime, and a C- for property crime.
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Glenvar
Glenvar is a small town in the western part of Roanoke County, home to around 10,000 people. It’s a rural area with farms, forests, and mountains.
Unfortunately, Glenvar faces some challenges in terms of crime. It has the fourth-highest crime rate in Roanoke County, with 23.6 crimes for every 1,000 residents. When we look at different types of crime, Glenvar gets a C+ grade for overall crime, a B grade for violent crime, and a C grade for property crime.
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Oak Grove
Oak Grove is a community in the southern part of Roanoke County with around 6,000 people. It’s mostly a place where people live, with houses and apartments.
But, there’s something to be aware of—Oak Grove has the fifth-highest crime rate in Roanoke County. There are about 22.9 crimes for every 1,000 people. The overall grade for crime in Oak Grove is a C+, with a B for violent crime and a C for property crime.
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Role of Authorities in These Communities to Combat Crime
Officials in Roanoke County, Virginia, are working hard to tackle crime in the area. They have introduced various initiatives, such as:
1. Roanoke C.A.R.E. (Coalition Against Roanoke’s Enemies): This is a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Their goal is to improve crime investigations and prosecutions, decrease shootings, violent crimes, and gang activities, and educate the community about the risks of gun violence and gang involvement.
2. Operation Bold Blue Line: Governor Glenn Youngkin has launched this plan to reduce violent crime. It includes a $30 million campaign to recruit more police officers, provide support to victims and witnesses, and fund community partnerships.
3. The Gun Violence Commission: This group comprises community leaders, experts, and stakeholders. They conducted a thorough community assessment and have implemented various initiatives focused on responding to, preventing, and intervening in gun violence.
Conclusion
Roanoke County is a wonderful and varied place to reside, but there are parts where crime happens more often. We checked the crime data on CrimeGrade.org and found the top five riskier neighborhoods in Roanoke County: Hollins, Vinton, Cave Spring, Glenvar, and Oak Grove.
These areas have more theft, burglary, vandalism, and assault compared to the rest of the county. If you’re thinking of coming to Roanoke County, you might want to steer clear of these neighborhoods or be extra careful to keep yourself and your belongings safe.
