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Town, Rockingham County · Virginia
A ridge town where Linville Creek meets the North Fork, 17 minutes north of Harrisonburg
Town, Rockingham County
Broadway is an incorporated town of 4,170 people in northern Rockingham County, about 12 miles north of Harrisonburg. It sits on a ridge between Linville Creek and the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Most recent Bright MLS sales with a Broadway address fell between $225,000 and $420,000, as of October 2026, with a median near $325,000.
Life here
Broadway started as Custer's Mill in 1808, named for a mill on the tip of a peninsula where Linville Creek runs into the North Fork of the Shenandoah. The town sits on a high ridge along that peninsula. The railroad arrived in the 1850s, Sheridan's raid burned many buildings in the Civil War, and the town was incorporated on March 9, 1880. Five places in town are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Linville Creek Bridge and the Tunker House.
Poultry shaped the modern town. The town's own history notes a poultry boom in the 1940s and after World War II that brought jobs and businesses to the region. Today Route 42 runs four lanes through town, and the town describes most housing developments as connected to Main Street by sidewalks. At 4,170 people it is one of the larger towns in the county, with an elementary, a middle and a high school inside its limits.
The trade-off is distance. Harrisonburg is about 12.5 miles and 17 minutes away by the town's own figures, and Interstate 81 is 5 miles to Exit 257 and 8 miles to Exit 264. The town reports an average commute of 22 minutes. Broadway runs its own town office, police department, water and sewer and refuse service, so utility bills and town taxes come on top of the county's. Ask for both bills before you compare it to a county address.
Neighborhoods & homes
Recent Bright MLS closed sales with a Broadway address, as of October 2026, included 31 houses and 4 townhomes. Most fell between $225,000 and $420,000, with a median near $325,000. The typical sold home was built around 1989, holds about 1,790 square feet, and sits on roughly half an acre. Current Bright listings lean older, with a median build year near 1962 and a median lot of about 1.2 acres, and nine land listings were active. Bright sees only part of the Broadway market, so this is a snapshot.
The town says most of its housing developments connect to Main Street by sidewalk. That points to neighborhood streets where you can walk toward downtown and the town parks. Recent sales skew toward the 1980s through 2000s on lots near half an acre. Confirm town limits first, because a Broadway mailing address does not always mean town utilities.
Active listings carry a median build year near 1962, and the town has many surviving buildings from its railroad and mill eras. Expect older wiring, plumbing and heating on the cheaper end, and ask about basements near Linville Creek and the North Fork.
Four townhomes appear among recent sales, and one is currently listed. They offer lower upkeep at the lower end of the price range. Check HOA dues and rules on leasing before you make an offer.
The median active listing sits on about 1.2 acres, and nine land parcels were listed on Bright. Outside the water and sewer lines, expect a well and septic system. Test the well, ask for the septic records, and check broadband at the exact address.
Shortcuts
Houses with serious acreage.
Easy-care homes that are simple to run.
Houses with room to spread out.
Building lots, raw land and rural parcels.
Homes built in 1940 or earlier.
Things to do
Start at Heritage Park, one of the town's two parks, which hosts the Arbor Day celebration and the Red, White & Brew event, held July 5 in 2025. The Broadway Community & Farmers Market runs on Saturdays in season. The town's other park, Broadway Community Park, is part of the town's sports and swimming offering, and the town rents out its Community Center.
Spring brings the Great Broadway Easter Egg Hunt, and the town counts more than a dozen annual events, supported by the Broadway Hometown Partnership. For a short drive, Route 259 crosses Linville Creek on the William Medford Pangle Bridge, dedicated on April 30, 2025. Shenandoah National Park is about a 45-minute scenic drive.
Getting around
Route 42 is the town's main road, running south to Harrisonburg and north to Timberville. Route 259 runs east to Interstate 81 and west toward West Virginia. Plan for school-day traffic on Route 42, and for I-81 delays when a crash closes lanes. Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is 31 miles away by the town's figures, and Dulles is about an hour and 45 minutes. Drive times are typical, off-peak.
Schools
Broadway is served by Rockingham County Public Schools, and the town reports one elementary, one middle and one high school within its limits. Broadway High School is at 269 Gobbler Drive, and John C. Myers Elementary is at 290 Raider Road. Zones shift over time; have the division confirm the one for any address.
Before you buy
The town sits where Linville Creek meets the North Fork of the Shenandoah. Look up the FEMA flood zone for any low-lying lot and ask the seller about past water in basements.
The town bills its own real estate and personal property taxes plus water, sewer and refuse. A property just outside the line is a different set of services, so ask which one applies.
Many listings beyond the sidewalks may rely on a private well and septic system. Budget for a water test and a septic inspection.
Route 42 runs four lanes through the middle of town. Visit an address at rush hour and with the windows open before you commit.
The Valley sits on limestone, and sinkholes occur in karst terrain. Ask about site history on lots with low spots or unexplained dips.
The 2020 census counted 4,170 people in the town of Broadway. It is in northern Rockingham County, about 12 miles north of Harrisonburg, and is part of the Harrisonburg metropolitan area.
Recent Bright MLS sales with a Broadway address, as of October 2026, mostly fell between $225,000 and $420,000, with a median near $325,000. Bright sees only part of the market; ask for a search across every feed.
About 12.5 miles and 17 minutes by Route 42, according to the town. Interstate 81 is 5 miles to Exit 257 and 8 miles to Exit 264. The town reports an average commute of 22 minutes.
Two: Heritage Park and Broadway Community Park. The town also rents its Community Center and holds a Saturday community and farmers market in season.
It began as Custer's Mill in 1808. After the Civil War burned the mill, the town needed a new name, and local legend says it came from the rowdy character Broadway shared with frontier boomtowns. The town was incorporated in 1880.
Nearby
Timberville i
Rockingham County i
Harri
Joanne Knauf can walk you through Broadway homes, prices and what to check before you buy. Call (540) 607-0682.
