$303,721Average Value$185Average Price per Sq Ft5Homes For Sale
Onley is a train town turned commercial capital
Situated on the Eastern Shore’s central spine, Onley was settled in the late 1800s as a stop along the Bay Coast Railroad. Today, that line no longer operates, but the Accomack County town is reinventing its past as a bustling transportation center. Locals here have easy access to U.S. Route 13, the Delmarva Peninsula’s central highway. Onley’s portion of the route is known for its strip malls filled with big-box retailers. “This is the commercial capital of the Eastern Shore,” says Tammy Hill, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Harbour Realty and an Accomack County resident. “We mainly have mom-and-pop stores on the Shore. It’s really the only town here that has places like Walmart or Marshalls.” While tourists driving to nearby beach towns and shoppers may occasionally make the area traffic-heavy, Onley still offers a quiet lifestyle, with acres of farmland and several nearby beaches and boating spots. The former train tracks, meanwhile, are becoming a hiking and biking path as part of the Eastern Shore Rail to Trail Project.
The historic train station in Onley is an attraction along the newly planned rail trail.
The old town center in Onley converges in an intersection where some older historical buildings can still be found.
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Homes may have farmland or back up to Burtons Bay
Onley’s oldest houses include Colonial Revivals and bungalows built throughout the early 1900s. Ranch-style homes from the mid-20th century are also typical. Soybean and barley crops stretch behind some properties, while a few houses sit along Burtons Bay, with private docks and beach access. All homes here have on-site septic systems or private wells. The median single-family home price is $200,000, which is lower than the national median. Severe storms and rising tides can cause Burtons Bay to overflow, so flood insurance may be required for those living closest to the waterway.
A home sits on hundreds of acres in a rural part of Onley.
Many large farms still populate the Onley region and are a part of the local economy.
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Route 13 is a major commercial corridor
Banks, gas stations and big-box grocery stores, including Walmart Supercenter, sit along six-lane Route 13. “That Walmart is basically the town’s biggest attraction because it’s the only one on Virginia’s Eastern Shore,” Hill says. “People from across the area will come here for big grocery trips. It’s constantly busy.” The highway is home to other retailers like Tractor Supply Co., CVS and Dollar General. Chain restaurants include McDonald’s and Wendy’s, but there are also some locally owned spots. Green leather booths, chandeliers and mirrored walls fill Sage Diner, known for its large portions of breakfast classics and comfort food. “It’s an Eastern Shore staple,” Hill says. “Any locals road-tripping on Route 13 try to stop at Sage.”
Tractor Supply Co. in nearby Onley is a go-to for Accomac residents in need of farm, garden, or pet supplies.
Some neighborhood shopping conveniences are mostly found on Rt. 13.
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Several Eastern Shore towns are accessible on Route 13
Route 13 stretches across the Delmarva Peninsula, from Dover to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. A 60-mile drive north on Route 13 reaches Salisbury, where locals will find the closest regional airport. Hill warns that the highway is often traffic-heavy as people drive to and from tourist beaches. “Cars come to a complete standstill pretty frequently during the summer,” she says. “It’s especially bad on Saturdays when vacations are typically starting or ending.” Wild horses run around Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, 31 miles north, while the Victorian-era town of Cape Charles is about 35 miles south. STAR Transit buses in Onley provide rides to other Eastern Shore towns, like Onancock and Accomac. Major Accomack County employers are nearby, including Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, which has 52 beds and an emergency department. A Perdue Farms harvest facility is five miles north, and NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility is less than 25 miles in the same direction.
Onancock is a historic town on Virginia's eastern shore near Onley.
Beach vibes are just short trip north to Chincoteague and Assateague Island.
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The Eastern Shore Rail Trail will run from Cape Charles to Hallwood
The now-abandoned Bay Coast Railroad is currently under construction as the Virginia Department of Transportation pours gravel over the former tracks and creates the Eastern Shore Rail Trail. The entire 49-mile path is expected to be finished by the fall of 2026. “People are excited to walk or ride bikes to a bunch of different beach towns because the trail will go from Cape Charles all the way to Hallwood,” Hill says. While the tracks are no more, the town preserves its railroad past at Historic Onley Station, the original train stop turned museum filled with locomotive artifacts and pictures. The small red and white station is open every Saturday for tours and hosts annual events, including a spring plant sale and photos with Santa.
The rail trail will meander from Onley to Cap Charles when completed.
The historic Onley train station is an attraction along the newly planned rail trail.
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Accomack County Public Schools offer Advanced Placement classes
The Accomack County Public Schools district serves the area. Kids can attend Accawmacke Elementary, graded a C-plus by Niche, and Nandua Middle, earning a B-minus. They may continue to B-rated Nandua High School, where Advanced Placement classes include calculus, studio art and U.S. history. Eastern Shore Community College, about 4 miles south, offers associate degrees and career certification programs in fields like business administration, technology and nursing.
Accawmacke Elementary School in Accomac welcomes students from Onancock, Onley, and Accomac with a commitment to foundational learning.
Eastern Shore Community College, just south of Accomac, offers dual-enrollment programs with Nandua High.
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Burtons Shore Beach is a fishing and kayaking spot
Brackish water laps against the rocky sand at Burtons Shore Beach, the community’s only public waterfront spot. Though the beach is too rugged for swimming, locals can catch croaker and flounder from the small shoreline or launch kayaks to paddle through the bay’s pine and oak tree-shaded channels. “There’s not a ton of waterfront property in Onley, but it is still very much a boating community,” Hill says. There's a public powerboat ramp on Folly Creek Road, less than 6 miles east. Onancock Wharf & Marina, 3 miles west, offers boat storage and is next to Mallard’s, a waterfront seafood restaurant and popular live music spot.
Onley is home to a few non-waterfront recreation spaces, including George N. McMath Park, which has a playground and walking path. White lounge chairs surround the Onley Recreation Association pool, where the Skimmers Swim Team regularly holds practices and meets. The members-only facility also has tennis courts. Locals can join basketball leagues, work out in the fitness center and swim laps at the Eastern Shore Family YMCA.
Life on the water is a big part of the local industry, recreation and leisure time.
Burton's Beach is a very small park along the bay side near Onley.
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Written By
Meghan Baker
Photography Contributed By
David MacNeill
Video By
Mark Tilley
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Jessica Bernard,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Onley, VA sell after 69 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Onley, VA over the last 12 months is $239,999, down 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Newly installed Clayton Bliss model Singlewide Mobile home on Pier and Anchor foundation. Providing a great ready to go opportunity for recent construction located in Onley, Virginia. Right in the heart of Virginias Eastern Shore. A quick trek to the newer hospital, lots of eateries and stores around Onancock and Onley. Plus all the usual nature and water access the Shore offers. Ask about
This wooded site suitable for agricultural needs. There are a few sheds on site. One was previously used as an office. The tax map only shows the wooded parcel, but there is cleared land as well. There is an old foundation on site near the front of the property. This property is within minutes of town and other services. Come for a visit and check out this property.
119 acres of cleared land. Currently being farmed, with an irrigation pond. Residential parcels have septic permits, and surveyed paperwork is filed with the county. You could sell the building lots, or keep it as a whole for farming, solar, horses etc. There are many ways to use this land.
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