Glenvar combines country quietude with suburban Salem
Glenvar is a small community on the outskirts of Salem, often chosen for its mix of country and suburban atmospheres. It is bounded to the south by the Roanoke River, ensuring that outdoor recreation is never far away. It is also just down Main Street from the heart of Salem, meaning residents can enjoy all the city has to offer from their comfortable country perch. “It’s a friendly little community out here. The people are very sweet. They’ll come in and just chat with the librarians pretty regularly,” says Donovan O’Daniel, a senior assistant at the Glenvar Branch Library. “I’d say the main appeal is that it’s close to the rest of Salem – what you might call the real town – but it’s out enough to have more space.”
Shaded, walkable streets lined with ranch-style homes and cottages
Homes in Glenvar are concentrated mainly on the east side of the area, sandwiched between Main Street and Interstate 81. Brick ranch-style homes and cottages are most prevalent, sitting on flat, grassy lots that are often shaded by tall trees. No home is further than a mile from the road, and neighborhood streets are often walkable despite the lack of sidewalks. Prices range from around $200,000 to almost $300,000, depending on square footage, number of bedrooms and build year, which can span from the 1930s to the early 2000s.
Glenvar schools earn strong ratings and recent sports victories
Most of Glenvar is zoned for Glenvar Elementary School, which earns a B from Niche. Some children on the east side of the community may attend Fort Lewis Elementary, which receives an A-minus. Glenvar Middle and Glenvar High are both rated A-minus, and both serve the entirety of the community. In 2025, the Glenvar High boys’ soccer team won a third straight Virginia High School League championship title.
Glenvar Minute Market and Boho Bake are community staples
Residents can shop for groceries and daily household items at Food Lion, Kroger and Walmart Supercenters all along U.S. Route 460. The only eatery directly in Glenvar is the Domino’s Pizza next to Fort Lewis Baptist Church. That same shopping plaza is home to the Glenvar Minute Market, where locals can make a quick stop for milk or a breakfast sandwich on the way to work. “Right next to the Minute Mart, there’s a great locally owned bakery called Boho Bake,” O’Daniel says. “Otherwise, when going out for dinner, most people tend to head to downtown Salem.” Popular options include Mamma Maria’s, a family-owned Italian restaurant that has been a community staple for 20 years.
Parks near the Roanoke River offer year-round outdoor recreation
Glenvar is just across the Roanoke River from Green Hill Park, an expansive green space home to multiple baseball diamonds, athletic fields and trails, as well as an equestrian center for residents who enjoy horseback riding. The river is also a regular source of recreation for locals. “I see people fishing and river tubing all the time during the summer,” O’Daniel says. “And there’s a nice greenway by the water that was extended recently, which is very popular for biking and walking.”
U.S. 460 and Interstate 81 make commuting easy
U.S. Route 460 bisects the community and connects it east to Salem, home to LewisGale Medical Center, the closest hospital. Roanoke and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport are a few miles further. Interstate 81 is another major connector for the area, providing the most direct route southwest to Blacksburg. “Most people take I-81, although I think older folks around here are a little nostalgic for the days when Main Street was the main highway,” O’Daniel says with a laugh. “But either road will get you to Christiansburg and Blacksburg, so it’s not like you’re stuck when you’re here.”
