$235,507Average Value$183Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Shipman has rural charm and mountain views near Central Virginia hubs
In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shipman is a rural community home to fewer than 500 people. The mountains frame its two-lane roads and country homes, where residents enjoy tranquility in nature. Though Shipman embraces a sense of seclusion, it’s about 4 miles from Lovingston and the U.S. Route 29 corridor. “People move here for the privacy and land, but you’re still within 8 to 10 miles of a grocery store,” says Marlo Allen, an associate broker with Mountain Area Nest Realty and a Nelson County native.
The highway moves traffic north to south throughout Virginia, connecting Shipman to Charlottesville, 38 miles north, and Lynchburg, 35 miles south. Allen adds that Shipman’s central location in Nelson County makes it one of several rural communities to benefit from the county’s partnership with Firefly Fiber Broadband. “Nelson County, in general, has become popular because we’re one of the few rural counties to get fiber optic internet to everyone,” she says. Shipman's CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
The Thomas Nelson Highway cuts through Shipman.
Homes in Shipman sit on large plots of land.
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Country homes with acreage are common, though few hit the market
Most homes sit along James River and Craigtown Roads, which intersect near the Shipman Historic District. This former transportation hub features vernacular-style homes built around the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The tracks still carry Norfolk Southern freight trains today, and the district remains a quaint village center with a post office, Shipman Baptist Church, Montreal Baptist Church and the Corner Market convenience store.
Country retreats offer plenty of room to spread out, with a median lot size of roughly 1 acre. Rustic bungalows, farmhouses and ranch-style homes are the norm throughout Shipman. Properties with significant acreage have space for a small hobby farm, and some have additional features like detached sheds or horse stalls. “There’s also a market for second-home buyers; people wanting a vacation house,” Allen says. Properties rarely come on the market here. According to a Homes.com calculation, which uses a combination of estimate data, the average home value in Shipman was around $230,000 in late 2025.
Colonial style homes sit next to one another in Shipman.
Many homes in Shipman have large covered front porches.
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Students can attend the Nelson County Public Schools district
The Nelson County Public Schools system earns an overall grade of B-minus from Niche and has an average student-to-teacher ratio of 12-to-1. Tye River Elementary School scores a C, Nelson Middle School receives a C-plus and Nelson County High School gets a B. The high school is known for its robust career and technical education department, which includes a well-regarded agricultural program that won the 2024 Region 5 Secondary CTE Exemplary Program Award from the Virginia Department of Education for its dedication to vocational development.
Kids in Shipman can attend Tye River Elementary School.
Nelson County Middle School is a highly rated school in Shipman.
Nelson County High School serves the community of Shipman.
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Lovingston features shops, restaurants and craft beverage trails
Residents usually shop and dine in Lovingston. Food Lion, Family Dollar and Dollar General cover the essentials, while spots like Blue Moon Antique Mall and Bookstore offer second-hand goods. Dining includes a few fast-food chains and local spots like Vito’s Pizza & Italian Grill and Nelson Scoops, a favorite for ice cream. Lovingston Winery is part of the Nelson 29 Craft Beverage Trail, one of three local trails where residents can explore wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries.
Blue Moon Antique Store in Shipman has thousands of new and used books.
Plenty of convenience stores are around for Shipman residents to stop into.
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U.S. Route 29 connects Shipman to Charlottesville and Lynchburg
This is a heavily car-dependent area with no sidewalks or public transportation. James River Road leads west to U.S. Route 29, which residents can take north towards Charlottesville or south towards Lynchburg. It’s about a 44-mile drive to Charlottesville-Albermarle Airport, and residents are roughly 95 miles from Richmond. For health care, Shipman is 36 miles from both UVA Health’s University Medical Center and Centra Lynchburg General Hospital.
Year-round recreation near rivers, mountains and Wintergreen Resort
Though Shipman doesn’t have any parks, it’s within reach of some of the county’s most popular natural attractions. The James, Rockfish and Tye Rivers are destinations for fishing and paddling, while the Blue Ridge Mountains offer opportunities for hiking and skiing. Residents can head up the mountains to Wintergreen Resort, which is about 30 miles away and is open year-round for everything from skiing and snowboarding to hiking and golfing. Hikers can also access the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 45 miles of which pass through Nelson County.
Lovingston is home to the Nelson Memorial Library, which hosts recreational and educational programs for all ages. "We do kind of a big event to kick off our summer reading program. It's usually one of our most well-attended events,” says Yulita Ellis, the library’s branch manager. Local bands perform at Rapunzel’s Coffee & Books, a rustic arts venue and café. “It's been a staple of the community for many, many years,” Ellis says.
Written By
Sally Stimpson
Photography Contributed By
Caleb Jones
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Gavin Sherwood,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in Shipman, VA sell after 64 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Shipman, VA over the last 12 months is $192,000, down 15% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
