Southern Hills
Hiking the Chestnut Ridge Trail, relaxing at Sunrise Park
The roughly 5-mile Chestnut Ridge Trail winds through Southern Hills, leading visitors through forests filled with maple and oak trees, where white-tailed deer run across the path and northern copperheads slither through the brush. There’s a fiery red and orange tree canopy in the fall, while the spring and summer bring a fresh green covering. This natural trail has interconnecting loops, meaning hikers can opt for a short venture or an all-day excursion. It also connects to some of Mill Mountain’s trails, leading to Roanoke’s iconic star. Nearby Sunrise Park offers an open green space with a few shade spots under sycamore trees. Kids run around the new playground, teenagers play pickup games on the basketball courts and couples walk their dogs.New construction, older properties and townhouses
Southern Hills’s housing stock encompasses a wide range of styles and ages. In the southern part of the neighborhood, 1950s and 60s homes, mainly ranches, sit on roads with a rural, suburban feel. They rest on hills far back from winding two-lane roads, typically costing between $250,000 and $315,000. Towards the northern part of the neighborhood, there’s some new construction, built in 2023 and 2024, in subdivisions like Wilton South Roanoke. These New Traditional and contemporary farmhouse properties typically range in price from $750,000 to $900,000. “Over the last two and a half years, home prices have gone up,” explains Realtor Scott Avis with MKB Realtors and Roanoke local. “With Carilion [Roanoke Memorial] Hospital being the biggest driver bringing people in [as an employer], we have a lot more buyers than sellers.” The Southmont subdivision sits in the neighborhood’s northwestern corner. This hillside development offers potential homebuyers early 2000s ranch-style properties with brick driveways and small yards, typically ranging in price from $335,000 to $490,000. Condos are available at Pheasant Ridge and offer scenic views from nearly every window. Tucked away on a ridge, as the name suggests, these units typically cost between $250,000 and $285,000. The Harmony Collection at Roanoke, a retirement community with medical facilities like memory care, sits behind Pheasant Ridge.Shopping and dining along Franklin Road
Most of the neighborhood’s shopping and dining options line Franklin Road SW, which encompasses the neighborhood’s western border. From Taco Bell to Outback, fast food and chain restaurants provide residents with options when eating out. Big box stores like The Home Depot, Big Lots and Kohl’s also line this roadway, which leads toward the Tanglewood Mall and its surrounding shopping centers. Noah Beckley, Realtor with RealStar Realtors and a Roanoke native, describes the mall’s changes throughout the years. “It’s becoming a hangout spot again. It used to be a big mall, but then a lot of things went out of business inside the mall,” Beckley says. “Now it’s picking back up. They just announced they are putting a YMCA in there. With that coming and the Carilion location near the mall, it’s headed in the right direction.” In and around the mall, folks can go grocery shopping at Kroger, Food Lion and The Fresh Market or dine at one of the various restaurants in the area. Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea is a Southwest Virginia morning favorite with six locations across Roanoke and coffee roasted in-house, while Ben Gui Sushi is popular come dinnertime, serving authentic Japanese cuisine.College credit at Patrick Henry High School
Students are zoned for Roanoke City Public Schools. They can attend Crystal Spring Elementary School, which earns a B-plus from Niche, before James Madison Middle School, which Niche gives a B-minus. They can finish their public education at Patrick Henry High School, which earns a B from Niche and offers Dual Enrollment with Virginia Western Community College.Getting around Southern Hills
Franklin Road runs along the neighborhood’s western border and eventually links with U.S. Interstate 581, which connects to U.S. Interstate 81, the main roadway in and out of Appalachia. Franklin Road also connects to Electric Road, another major thoroughfare in Roanoke. In case of emergency, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is about 4 miles north. When it’s time to fly, the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport is 10 miles north. The Blue Ridge Parkway is less than a mile south of the neighborhood, leading to outdoor escapes throughout the mountains. This roadway is often traveled by residents from throughout Virginia in the fall due to its beautiful scenery. It also leads to many trails and hikes that are popular with Roanoke residents.


Agents Specializing in this Area
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Dawn Lambert
EXP REALTY LLC - SML
(540) 787-2817
106 Total Sales
1 in Southern Hills
$924,900 Price
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Christy Crouch
Responds QuicklyRE/MAX All Points
(540) 900-3625
558 Total Sales
3 in Southern Hills
$250K - $265K Price Range
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Dinah Moser
Responds QuicklyLONG & FOSTER - ROANOKE OFFICE
(540) 779-8783
70 Total Sales
1 in Southern Hills
$231,500 Price
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Jay Kilby
Responds QuicklyRE/MAX All Stars
(540) 277-9423
344 Total Sales
1 in Southern Hills
$908,130 Price
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EC
Esther Cerle
Responds QuicklyAdvantage Realty - Roanoke
(540) 453-8821
112 Total Sales
2 in Southern Hills
$253K - $275K Price Range
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Michael Belcher
Responds QuicklyKELLER WILLIAMS REALTY ROANOKE
(540) 900-1472
184 Total Sales
2 in Southern Hills
$265K - $315K Price Range
Schools
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Southern Hills | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 1 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 2 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 2 | 4 |
Robbery | 2 | 4 |
Burglary | 3 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 2 | 4 |
Larceny | 3 | 4 |
Crime Score | 2 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Southern Hills Demographics and Home Trends
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
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, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
Minimal Transit
Transit Score®
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