Community Profile
Situated in the center of Virginia's Alleghenies (a Native American term that means "endless"), Bath and Highland Counties indeed offer a landscape of neverending mountain ridgelines and scenery that is among the East Coast's most pristine.
More than 80% of Bath County remains in mountain forest, while over 50% of that landscape is protected public land. To the north, in Highland County, blue grass and clover covered valleys cut by cold trout streams are home to grazing sheep and cattle. Both counties are among the least populated east of the Mississippi, offering privacy and escape that is increasingly difficult to find in the modern world.
But despite their small populations and isolation, both communities have thriving local school systems, with Bath and Highland consistently ranking among the state's best based on standardized test scores. Students here enjoy a small student to teacher ratio, normally found only in private schools, while still having access to a variety of sports, music, and arts programs.
Local civic organizations number in the dozens with several Ruritan, Rotary, and Lions Club chapters as well as garden clubs and arts associations, and more than 35 churches offer additional access to fellowship.
The Highland Center in Monterey provides assistance to small and start-up businesses in Bath and Highland, and both communities have extremely active chambers of commerce that not only help area businesses but bring a wide array of annual festivals and events to these mountain counties. In addition, high-speed Internet access is available throughout the Alleghany Highlands, providing worldwide communication capabilities to local businesses and homes.
Bath County Demographics:
- Population: 4,800
- Largest employer: The Homestead
- Average annual household income: $36,523
- Local tax rate: $.50 per 100 assessed value
Highland County Demographics:
- Population: 2,400
- Largest employer: Highland County Schools
- Average annual household income: $31,451
- Local tax rate: $.62 per $100 assessed value
Bath and Highland Schools:
- Number of total students: 1,075
- Pupil-teacher ratio: 11:1 (K-7) 7:3 (8-12)
- Total expenditures per pupil: $9,751