Why Live in Roanoke Rapids
Roanoke Rapids, situated along the Roanoke River, is Halifax County’s largest city, currently undergoing redevelopment. Historically a booming mill town, the city faced economic decline after the textile industry moved overseas in the early 2000s. Today, healthcare and manufacturing are the primary industries, with ECU Health North Hospital and Smurfit WestRock being major employers. The city features diverse architectural styles, including small cottages, ranch-style homes, New Traditional designs, Colonial Revivals, and notable mill workers’ housing and kit homes from the early 1900s. Waterfront properties along the Roanoke River and Roanoke Rapids Lake can be quite expensive, though the median price for a single-family home remains affordable. Roanoke Rapids Lake, created by Dominion Energy’s hydropower dam, offers recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, and boating, while the Roanoke Canal Trail provides miles of paths for cyclists and runners, passing by the historic Roanoke Canal Museum. Roanoke Rapids Avenue serves as the city’s Main Street, featuring local businesses, antique stores, dance studios, and restaurants, with ongoing efforts to revitalize the downtown area. The Roanoke Rapids Graded School District has highly rated schools, with the unique castle-inspired Roanoke Rapids High School. The city is car-dependent, with Interstate 95 providing access to Richmond, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina, both approximately 85 miles away. Lake Gaston, a popular vacation destination for watersports, is about 25 miles west, offering additional attractions for residents and visitors.
