Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety85#142/924
Economy60#370/925
Housing53#431/925
Health77#216/925
Healthcare59#378/923
Environment82#167/917
Education49#475/925
Infrastructure49#476/925
Community47#490/925
Leisure & amenities48#479/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Harrisonburg, VA metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Drug overdose deaths · low7.8 /100k
93/100Virginia 12.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Injury deaths · low66 /100k
92/100Virginia 78 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Premature death · low6,339 /100k
90/100Virginia 7,587 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Suicide rate · low12.5 /100k
89/100Virginia 13.2 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
New homes permitted · high6.8 /1k
86/100Virginia 4.2 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Flu vaccinations · high51.0%
86/100Virginia 47.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Drought exposure · high91%
7/100Virginia 70%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
Income adjusted for local prices · low$56,559
18/100Virginia $76,506United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisAggregated from counties
High school diploma or higher · low86.5%
20/100Virginia 91.6%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Home price to income ratio · high4.1×
24/100Virginia 4.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Distance to an airport · high83 mi
28/100Virginia 32 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Public libraries · low0.4 /10k
28/100Virginia 0.4 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
4% (2021) → 91% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+87 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
76.9% (2015-2019) → 86.5% (2020-2024)
+9.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
23.7% (Dec 2021) → 33.2% (Aug 2026)
+9.6 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
New business applicationsImproving
7.1 /1k (2020) → 10.3 /1k (2025)
+45%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
13.8 /100k (2021) → 7.8 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−43%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Preventable hospital staysImproving
4,965 /100k (2019) → 2,831 /100k (2023)
−43%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Harrisonburg, VA metro area improved on 14 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 10 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

Libraries+17%0.4 /10k → 0.4 /10k
Suicides−19%15.5 /100k → 12.5 /100k
Household income+33%$56,500 → $75,065
Grocery stores+9.8%1.6 /10k → 1.8 /10k
Overdose deaths−47%14.8 /100k → 7.8 /100k

Declined4

Restaurants−8.5%8.3 /10k → 7.6 /10k
Traffic deaths+21%10.1 /100k → 12.2 /100k
Pharmacies−15%1.8 /10k → 1.6 /10k
Price / income+0.4×3.7× → 4.1×

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of Harrisonburg, VA metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.2 /10k2020	3.4 /10k2025	+7.9%	Improved	48%
Average commute time	19.8 min2015-2019	20.4 min2020-2024	+0.5 min	Within the margin of error	45%
Average weekly wage	$8992020	$1,0882025	+21%	Improved	30%
Bachelor's degree or higher	29.6%2015-2019	31.6%2020-2024	+2 points	Improved	30%
Broadband subscriptions	76.9%2015-2019	86.5%2020-2024	+9.6 points	Improved	57%
Child poverty rate	12.7%2015-2019	14.5%2020-2024	+1.8 points	Within the margin of error	10%
Distance to an airport	83 mi2020	83 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	88%
Drug overdose deaths	14.8 /100k2020	7.8 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−47%	Improved	78%
Effective property tax rate	0.61%2015-2019	0.59%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	13%
Firearm deaths	11.5 /100k2020	11.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−4%	Little change	56%
Grocery stores	1.6 /10k2020	1.8 /10k2025	+9.8%	Improved	77%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.0 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	−3.3%	Little change	32%
High school diploma or higher	83.9%2015-2019	86.5%2020-2024	+2.5 points	Within the margin of error	71%
Home price to income ratio	3.7×2015-2019	4.1×2020-2024	+0.4×	Declined	54%
Homicide rate	3.5 /100k2020	3.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+0.7%	Little change	21%
Income adjusted for local prices	$43,7522019	$56,5592024	+29%	Improved	31%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4502015-2019	0.4542020-2024	+0.004	Within the margin of error	43%
Median household income	$56,5002015-2019	$75,0652020-2024	+33%	Improved	79%
New business applications	7.1 /1k2020	10.3 /1k2025	+45%	Improved	49%
Pharmacies	1.8 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	−15%	Declined	33%
Poverty rate	16.0%2015-2019	15.3%2020-2024	−0.7 points	Within the margin of error	43%
Property crime rate	1,010 /100k2020	773 /100k2025	−23%	Improved	30%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	+17%	Improved	95%
Public transit commuters	0.9%2015-2019	0.7%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	28.5%2015-2019	28.1%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	65%
Rent-burdened households	46.2%2015-2019	45.0%2020-2024	−1.2 points	Within the margin of error	69%
Restaurants and bars	8.3 /10k2020	7.6 /10k2025	−8.5%	Declined	16%
Suicide rate	15.5 /100k2020	12.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−19%	Improved	86%
Traffic deaths	10.1 /100k2015-2019	12.2 /100k2020-2024	+21%	Declined	27%
Unemployment rate	5.3%2020	3.2%2025	−2.1 points	Improved	24%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	12.9%2015-2019	12.3%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	61%
Violent crime rate	163 /100k2020	138 /100k2025	−16%	Improved	49%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Harrisonburg, VA metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Harrisonburg, VA metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Harrisonburg, VA metro area itself moved +0.2 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

136,992 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

50,046 households (±431)

Harrisonburg, VA metro area
United States share

Under $25k15%7,604
$25k–50k19%9,267
$50k–75k16%8,129

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

50,046 households (±431)

Harrisonburg, VA metro area
United States share

Own63%31,459
Rent37%18,587

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

65,826 workers (±1,104)

Harrisonburg, VA metro area
United States share

Drive alone74%48,800
Carpool11%7,466
Public transit0.7%†480

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Harrisonburg, VA employ 15,270 people. 3 pay a median above the US median and 7 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Harrisonburg, VA by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Fast Food and Counter Workers2,590 jobs	2,590	$29,240US $31,200	−6%	1.6×
Retail Salespersons1,980 jobs	1,980	$33,350US $35,410	−6%	1.21×
Stockers and Order Fillers1,650 jobs	1,650	$38,130US $37,330	+2%	1.39×
Cashiers1,460 jobs	1,460	$28,980US $32,880	−12%	1.12×
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners1,420 jobs	1,420	$34,180US $36,840	−7%	1.52×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand1,390 jobs	1,390	$38,320US $40,240	−5%	1.12×
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers1,290 jobs	1,290	$58,660US $58,640	0%	1.49×
General and Operations Managers1,280 jobs	1,280	$94,320US $105,770	−11%	0.87×
Waiters and Waitresses1,150 jobs	1,150	$44,760US $35,230	+27%	1.2×
Office Clerks, General1,060 jobs	1,060	$44,060US $45,010	−2%	1.03×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Harrisonburg, VA.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Harrisonburg, VA has 3,343 employer establishments, 242 for every 10,000 residents (0.98× the US rate of 248), with 55,895 paid employees at an average annual pay of $49,382. The Census Bureau also counts 11,187 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,343; 11,187 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 242; US 248
Paid employees: 55,895
Average annual pay: $49,382; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Harrisonburg, VA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	269	19.5	1.26×More than typical	3,037	$60,042	803
Restaurants and other eating places	267	19.4	1.05×About typical	5,620	$20,265	47
Ambulatory health care services	252	18.3	0.88×About typical	2,698	$78,386	415
Religious organizations	152	11	1.99×More than typical	853	$24,314	—
Construction of buildings	142	10.3	1.36×More than typical	831	$59,723	491
Truck transportation	118	8.6	1.69×More than typical	1,379	$61,004	529
Full-service restaurants	117	8.5	1.10×About typical	2,706	$22,961	17
Lessors of real estate	114	8.3	0.67×Fewer than typical	850	$52,046	1,241
Automotive repair and maintenance	111	8.1	1.60×More than typical	551	$47,838	191
Limited-service restaurants	108	7.8	0.98×About typical	2,273	$17,892	24
Services to buildings and dwellings	94	6.8	1.01×About typical	1,236	$33,369	725
Building equipment contractors	80	5.8	0.96×About typical	1,248	$60,803	121

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $8.8M on contracts performed in Harrisonburg, VA metro area: $62.47 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $8.8M; −91% vs FY2025
Per resident: $62.47; US $1,994
Sole-source: 54%; US 30%
Single offer: 7.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Agricultural Marketing Service$3M34%
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services$2M23%
Public Buildings Service$1.5M17%
Forest Service$1.4M16%
Department of the Navy$691.5K7.9%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$566.2K6.5%
U.S. Secret Service$410.3K4.7%
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office$366.5K4.2%

Top recipients

VIRGINIA POULTRY GROWERS COOPERATIVE INC$3M34%
IRON MOUNTAIN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LLC$2M23%
DOT CONSTRUCTION, INC$1.3M14%
MC DODD CONSTRUCTION LLC$1.2M13%
WHITE HAND GLOBAL LLC$616.5K7.0%

Spending by fiscal year

39.4MFY2017
59.8MFY2018
141.4MFY2019
192.1MFY2020
59.8MFY2021
37.1MFY2022
45.7MFY2023
88.2M

Top industries (NAICS)

Animal slaughtering and processing · 3116$3M34%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$2.4M28%
Warehousing and storage · 4931$2M23%
Nonferrous metal (except aluminum) production and processing · 3314$616.5K7.0%
Nonscheduled air transportation · 4812$566.2K6.5%
Motor vehicle manufacturing · 3361$410.3K4.7%

Largest awards

THIS TASK ORDER IS CREATED FOR OPERATION AND SUSTAINMENT OF THE STAMP FOLLOW-ON REQUIREMENT.$405.7M
LEIDOS, INC.· Rockingham County, VA· Professional services· Jul 31, 2020 – Mar 20, 2026· W56KGY20F0067
CALL FOR MISCELLANEOUS AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS$11M
TACTICAL & SURVIVAL SPECIALTIES, LLC· Harrisonburg city, VA· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Nov 17, 2022 – May 21, 2026· 47QSWA23F0MYX
ENTERPRISE INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCT LINE (EIPL) SECURITY OPERATIONS SUPPORT (SOS)$4.5M
HALVIK LLC· Rockingham County, VA· IT & telecom· Aug 8, 2023 – Feb 18, 2026· 1333BJ23F00280042
ACTIVE FILE SPACE RELIEF SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS), IMMIGRATION RECORDS AND IDENTITY SERVICES (IRIS), AND NATIONAL RECORDS CENTER (NRC) PROGRAM OFFICE.

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $705.8M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Harrisonburg, VA metro area: $5,036 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $705.8M; −3.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $5,036; US $12,955
Loan face value: $29.9M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.5%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$488.9M69%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$52.4M7.4%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$38.9M5.5%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$34M4.8%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$24.3M3.4%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$15.1M2.1%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$8.5M1.2%
84.116 · Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education$4.1M0.6%

Top recipients (organizations)

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY$27.4M3.9%
HARRISONBURG, VA
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$11.1M1.6%
RICHMOND, VA
HARRISONBURG REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY$9.3M1.3%
HARRISONBURG, VA
EASTERN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY$4.7M0.7%
HARRISONBURG, VA
BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$590.5M84%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$46.4M6.6%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education$31.1M4.4%
Federal Highway Administration$11.1M1.6%
Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$8.8M

Assistance by fiscal year

673.8MFY2021
613.8MFY2022
662.2MFY2023
673.8MFY2024
734.1MFY2025
705.8MFY2026

County aggregates

91%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Harrisonburg, VA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

HarrisonburgPrincipal city51,392

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Virginia

Areas based in Virginia, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M25500

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined4

Metro and micro areas like Harrisonburg, VA metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Harrisonburg, VA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Virginia

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved14

Declined4

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought