Berryville is a community center for Clarke County in the Shenandoah Valley
With the verdant Blue Ridge Mountains rising just to the east across the Shenandoah River, Berryville is a town framed by the beauty of the northern Shenandoah Valley. Also settled between larger, far-flung state Route 7 communities like Winchester and Leesburg, this seat of Clarke County has become a center of community for the countryside that rolls around its Main Street. “Berryville is a rural type of area, with a small, cute walking area downtown that’s surrounded by new construction,” says Wesley Smith, a Realtor at Pearson Smith Realty who has seven years of experience specializing in the Northern Virginia market. “There’s been a lot of that new construction, but the density of it stopped at a certain point. It’s still a small town. It never really blew up like some other places in northern Virginia.” Berryville is quaint, partially thanks to the region’s strong outdoor recreation and events economy. But the carefully preserved charm that balances Berryville’s growing suburban sprawl is also a meaningful cultural and social resource for the year-round residents living in the overwhelmingly rural farmland and forested foothills that make up Clarke County.
Century-spanning single-family homes in town and on acreages
The historic single-family homes built near Main Street in the 19th and 20th centuries take on a mix of colonial and Victorian styles popular in Berryville’s early days. In the 1950s through1970s, those homes became surrounded by subdivisions of ranch-style homes, split-levels and Cape Cods. Into the 2000s and through the 2020s, builders have developed cul-de-sacs of New Traditional homes in Colonial Revival and Craftsman-inspired styles, an outer ring to Berryville’s town center. These homes, set on less than an acre, typically sell for around $300,000 to $800,000, but fixer-uppers and especially large New Traditional homes can go for less or more. Outside of subdivisions, homes built from a few centuries or a few decades back stand on much larger lots. Prices for homes on small acreages usually range from around $350,000 to $910,000, while those set on 10 or more acres can go for around $710,000 to $1.8 million.
Blue Ridge, Shenandoah and Clarke County recreation
Set in the Shenandoah Valley, Berryville is surrounded by the vast recreation spaces of northern Virginia. To join thru-hikers in climbing to the Appalachian Trail’s Bear’s Den overlook, locals can drive about 8 miles east into the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Snickers Gap Trailhead. The fruity signage at Watermelon Park welcomes many boaters and tubers to the banks of the Shenandoah River. The grounds are also popular for RV camping and fishing. Private equestrian facilities like Hunt Club Farms surround Berryville, offering members a place to board, ride and train with their horses. As the county seat, Berryville is also home to Clarke County’s main athletic and community spaces, including the library and Chet Hobert Park, a hub of walking trails, Little League fields, indoor recreation center facilities and an outdoor swimming pool.
Shopping and dining on Main Street and U.S. Route 340
Berryville’s Main Street is a walkable downtown for all of Clarke County. Throughout the strip, historic commercial buildings house the modern window displays of locally owned specialty stores and restaurants. Labyrinthian antique shops like Hip and Humble are within blocks of the barber shop, used bookstore and children's clothing boutique. Diners stop into Cordial Coffee Co. for caffeine and cozy ambiance at breakfast time. Other eateries like Santorini Grill and Camino Real Mexican Restaurant specialize in different global cuisines just off the main drag. For groceries, shoppers head up U.S. Route 340 to Martin's. Within a mile or so of downtown Berryville, congregations get together at many small houses of worship, including St. Bridget of Ireland Church. Just outside of town, farm-fresh produce and local wines are supplied by businesses like Nalls Farm Market and Veramar Vineyard.
Large and small-scale community events in Berryville
For going on 70 years, the end of summer Clarke County Fair has brought throngs into Berryville for a week of tractor-pulling, livestock-judging, and fair-food-eating fun. The Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds host plenty of other events throughout the year, like the Watermelon Pickers’ Fest, a pluckily named music festival that returns each September. Outside of major events, neighbors also get together for smaller traditions. During the warmer months, vendors stock produce and artisan products at a Saturday morning farmers market that pops up outside the school district’s administrative office. “They do a town-wide yard sale every year, that shuts the whole town down. There are people just selling stuff that’s been in their basement for years but, with so many historic houses and multiple generations of people living there, you find some really cool stuff,” Smith says.
Commuting beyond Clarke County on State Route 7
While Berryville is Clarke County’s seat, many residents are commuting to larger cities and employers beyond the local government and public school offices. State Route 7 offers a roughly 10-mile drive to Winchester, home to both Shenandoah University and Valley Health Winchester Medical Center. Washington is more than 60 miles away in the opposite direction. Washington Dulles International Airport is about 40 miles from home. While Virginia Regional Transit offers on-demand bus service around Clarke County, residents overwhelmingly rely on cars to get around.
Attendance and athletics at Clarke County Public Schools
Kids will start at either D.G. Cooley Elementary School or Boyce Elementary School, both of which earn a B-minus from Niche. Johnson-Williams Middle School also earns a B-minus. B-rated Clarke County High School is known for its strong athletic programs. In 2024, the Eagles football team celebrated their 10th winning season in a row with an undefeated regular season finish.
Flooding and water quality in Berryville
Waterways like the Opequon Creek may flood roadways and properties after unusually heavy rain. Buyers can consult maps to understand their potential risk and need for flood insurance. Since 2023, Berryville’s water supply has also been flagged for high levels of haloacetic acids, contaminants that can cause health problems over long periods of time. The town’s water treatment plant has continually worked on this issue. Rural properties will likely maintain their own well water and septic systems outside of town water service.
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Written By
Julia Szymanski
