Independent city · code 51770
Roanoke cityVirginia
Roanoke is an independent city in Virginia, named after the Roanoke River. It was established as an independent first-class city in 1902, separated from Roanoke County, and has grown through boundary additions.
- Founded1852
- Named forRoanoke River, Virginia and North Carolina
- Land area43 sq mi + 0.3 sq mi water
- Population100,011 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped44,448 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Roanoke on the map of Virginia
Virginia has 133 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1852
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Roanoke was separated from Roanoke County as an independent first-class city on July 10, 1902. The independent city of Roanoke gained territory from Roanoke County multiple times between 1915 and 1976.
- 1902Independent city separated Roanoke made an independent city, 1st class, from Roanoke. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1915Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [241]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1919Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [241]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1926Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [242]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1943Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [244]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
Show all 10 changes
- 1902Independent city separated Roanoke made an independent city, 1st class, from Roanoke. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1915Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [241]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1919Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [241]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1926Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [242]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1943Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [244]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1949Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Bain, Annexation, [245]; Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1965Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained small area from Roanoke. · Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1967Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained small area from Roanoke. · Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1968Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained small area from Roanoke. · Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
- 1976Gained territory Independent city of Roanoke gained from Roanoke. · Roanoke City Engineer, correspondence, December 1989
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Roanoke
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 44,448 parcels from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 58,964 in all from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Dept of Emergency Management (VDEM; VGIN moved from VITA to VDEM).
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Roanoke by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Roanoke city's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
County government
- County government
The official website of Roanoke city.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Roanoke city on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Roanoke city
- When was Roanoke city founded?
- Roanoke city was founded in 1852, and named after Roanoke River, Virginia and North Carolina.
- Is there an online parcel map for Roanoke city?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 44,448 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Roanoke city's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 10 changes for Roanoke city. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 10 later changes.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Roanoke city yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby