Richmond suburb with modest homes and increasing prices
Small cottages and ranches dot the quiet streets of Montrose, a Henrico County suburb bordering the city of Richmond to the east. Home to about 8,400 residents, Montrose is minutes away from Richmond International Airport, trendy East End neighborhoods like Rocketts Landing, and entertainment and employers in downtown Richmond. Despite having some of the Richmond metro’s fastest-growing housing costs, Montrose still has a reputation for relative affordability, attracting young families moving in alongside longtime residents and retirees. “It’s a laid-back bedroom community; people sleep and go off,” says Carl Shawler, owner of Groome Brothers Realty Co. in nearby Highland Springs.
Small cottages and ranches dot the quiet streets of Montrose.
Montrose includes the popular neighborhood of Rocketts Landing.
Montrose is just minutes away from Downtown Richmond.
Montrose is a short drive from Downtown Richmond and its fascinating museums.
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Suburban homes built after World War II
The houses in Montrose are primarily modest homes built after World War II. These include cottages with under 1,000 square feet of living space, brick-front ranches and slightly larger split-level properties. A handful of bungalows were built between the 1910s and 1930s. The median price of a single-family home in Montrose is $250,000. Yards range from about a quarter acre to a full acre. Lawns have minimal landscaping, and the area’s quiet, residential streets don’t usually have sidewalks.
Attractive mid-century brick Ranch homes makes up most of the Montrose area.
Comfortable Cottage style homes are sprinkled throughout Montrose.
Buyers can find beautiful Cape Cod style homes in many of the neighborhood in Montrose.
Simple Ranch style homes on comfortable sized lots are a hallmark of Montrose.
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Montrose children attend Henrico County public schools
Students in Montrose typically attend Montrose Elementary School, John Rolfe Middle School and Varina High School in the Henrico County public school system. All three schools earn a C from Niche. According to Shawler, the elementary school is one of the only schools in Henrico County that still operates in its original building, which first opened in 1925. However, expansion over the decades covered much of the original facade. “The exterior part of it looks like the 1970s. You’d never know the original structure was still in there,” he says.
Varina High, home of the Blue Devils, has two specialty centers: The Center for Communications and Media Relations and The Center for Environmental Sustainability. Both programs provide students with four-year curriculums catered to their specialty. The Center for Environmental Sustainability was introduced in 2023 and has a mobile water quality testing lab, greenhouse and local farm for hands-on learning.
Montrose Elementary School in Montrose always has fun extracurriculars for the kids.
Students from Montrose enjoy a beautiful day at John Wolfe Middle School.
Varina High School serves students from 9-12th grade from Montrose.
Students of Montrose love the campus of Varina High School.
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Commuting downtown and smelling the cookie factory
Montrose is 4 miles east of downtown Richmond, and Interstate 64 borders the town on the north. GRTC Pulse buses have stops along Williamsburg Road that take riders to downtown, the airport, White Oak Village shopping center and more local destinations. Richmond International Airport is about 4 miles east.
Several major employers are in and around downtown Richmond, including Capital One Financial and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and its hospital system. Mondelez International, owner of Nabisco, produces and distributes products like Oreo, Ritz and Nilla Wafers nearby off South Laburnum Avenue. The facility employs about 650 people.
Old Dominion Landfill is located on the southeast side of Montrose. “We smell the Mondelez bakery more than we can smell the landfill, and it smells great,” Shawler says. “The landfills are encapsulated so much now that it doesn’t affect much.” Gillies Creek Industrial Recycling also processes waste materials like concrete on Montrose’s north side.
Montrose is in central Virginia, which experiences mild winters and hot, humid summers. The most common severe weather is heavy rain and hurricanes. If it snows during the winter, it usually melts quickly.
Montrose is conveniently located just eight minutes from Downtown Richmond, VA.
Interstate 64 borders the northern edge of Montrose for easy commuting.
The GRTC Pulse buses travel throughout Montrose making it easy to get around.
Mondelez International is a major employer in Montrose.
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Shopping and dining at White Oak Village
White Oak Village is a commercial plaza off Laburnum Avenue with big-box stores like Target, Lowe’s and Publix. The complex also has chain restaurants including Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden and TGI Fridays. Nearby Rocketts Landing, on Richmond’s East End, has more local spots, including high-end dining on the James River at The Boathouse and drinks at Stone Brewing Tap Room.
White Oak Village in Montrose is a popular shopping destination for residents.
Countless retail shops offer a wide variety of shopping at White Oak Village in Montrose.
Stop in to shop at Target in White Oak Village in Montrose.
The Stone Brewing Tap Room is a local favorite in Montrose.
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Virginia Capital Trail goes through Rocketts Landing
Nearby Rocketts Landing also hosts seasonal activities like the Richmond Boat Parade of Lights in December, when boat owners deck out their ships with holiday decorations and ride down the river. Additionally, downtown Richmond has live music venues like The National and performing arts spaces like Dominion Energy Center and Altria Theater.
The Virginia Capital Trail also runs through Rocketts Landing adjacent to the river. This pedestrian and bike trail spans over 50 miles between Richmond and Jamestown. For more recreation, Montrose Heights Playground has playground equipment, a basketball court and a ballfield. Gillies Creek Park has more spacious facilities off Williamsburg Avenue that include a BMX track, football field and volleyball court.
The The Virginia Capital Trail runs from Montrose for over 50-miles.
The Montrose Heights Playground has playground equipment, and a ballfield for locals.
The Montrose neighborhood of Rocketts Landing is popular for outdoor walks.
Gillies Creek Park in Montrose features a challenging BMX track.
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Crime in Montrose
Montrose is served by the Henrico County Police Department. Henrico consistently reports lower crime rates than the state and national average. Montrose has a CAP Index crime score of 5, indicating a slightly higher crime risk compared to the national average of 4.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
Photography Contributed By
Todd Masinter
Video By
Benjamin Rose
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