Communities
HarrisonburgRockingham CountyStauntonWaynesboroAugusta CountyFishersvilleShenandoah CountyPage CountyAll communities
County · Virginia
A valley between two ridges, with Skyline Drive on one side and the South Fork on the other
County
Page County, Virginia is a 314-square-mile county of 23,709 people between the Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountain, with Luray as county seat. Most recent Bright MLS sales, as of October 2026, fell between $240,000 and $410,000, and homes with acreage or cabin use list higher.
Life here
Page County is shaped like the valley it sits in. The Blue Ridge forms the eastern wall, much of it Shenandoah National Park, and the high point of the county is Hawksbill Mountain on the Madison County line. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River runs down the middle of the valley floor, and Massanutten Mountain closes the west side. The county was cut from Shenandoah and Rockingham counties in 1831 and named for Virginia governor John Page. Most of what you do here, from commuting to canoeing, follows those north-south lines.
Three incorporated towns anchor it. Luray is the county seat and the largest, with 4,831 people in 2020. Shenandoah (2,486 people) began around an iron works in 1837 and sits beside the river; Stanley (1,703) is the smallest of the three. Between them lie crossroads settlements such as Alma, Battle Creek, Newport and Rileyville. The local tourism group markets the valley as Virginia's Cabin Capital, and you will see why: lodging here runs to cabins, river retreats and mountaintop lodges, plus working farms that offer stays.
Open country is the norm outside the towns. Recent Bright MLS sales had a median lot near four-fifths of an acre, and homes on the market now have a median near two acres. That means wells and septic are common, so budget for testing and inspection. It also means distance: groceries, schools and the hospital are in or near Luray, and a rural address can be a drive of twenty minutes or more to any of them.
Neighborhoods & homes
Recent Bright MLS closed sales in Page County, as of October 2026, included 330 houses and 15 townhomes. Most fell between $240,000 and $410,000, with a median near $320,000. The typical sold home was built around 1983, holds about 1,525 square feet and sits on roughly four-fifths of an acre. Bright also shows 102 recent land sales, so lots and acreage change hands often. Current Bright listings are 33 houses, with most priced between $500,000 and $750,000, a median build year near 1999, about 2,500 square feet and roughly two acres. Bright covers Page County well, but treat these as a snapshot, not a county total.
Older houses on small town lots are the entry point, on streets close to schools, shops and town services. Expect town water and sewer in many cases, older systems in the oldest houses, and town tax rates on top of county rates. Each town has its own page or town hall, so confirm which jurisdiction an address falls under.
Luray-area sales and listings include cabins and log-style houses on wooded or sloped acreage, which is where much of the current higher-priced inventory sits. Ask about the road: private lanes and steep grades affect winter access, insurance and maintenance cost. Check broadband before you plan to work from the property.
Land along the South Fork gives you water frontage and views, but it also sits in mapped flood plains. Shenandoah, for example, was damaged repeatedly by floods, most severely in 1870. Order a flood zone determination, ask about flood insurance cost, and walk the land after rain.
Bright's 102 recent land sales cover home sites and larger tracts across the valley. Check road frontage, soil and perc status for a septic system, easements and whether a tract is in a conservation easement before you count on building a particular house.
For Sale
698 VALLEY VIEW RD Rileyville, VA 22650
$369,000
For Sale
412 RINACA LN Shenandoah, VA 22849
$279,900
For Sale
357 BUZZARD VIEW PL Shenandoah, VA 22849
$200,000
For Sale
106 RAIL FAN LN Shenandoah, VA 22849
$250,000
For Sale
1938 US HWY 340 BUS Stanley, VA 22851
$169,000
For Sale
315 GANDER DR Luray, VA 22835
$1,790,000
For Sale
47 LOCUSTDALE LOOP Shenandoah, VA 22849
$399,000
For Sale
48 LOCUSTDALE LOOP Shenandoah, VA 22849
$399,000
Shortcuts
Big parcels for a homestead, a farm or a mountain retreat.
Houses on 5 to 25 acres, with room for animals, gardens and outbuildings.
Houses with serious acreage.
The finest homes on the market in the Valley.
Lower-priced homes for first-time buyers and investors.
Houses on 2+ acres at $500,000 or less.
Things to do
Start with the river. The South Fork of the Shenandoah is stocked and fished for trout in spring, and the American Whitewater listing for the Bixler's Bridge to Bentonville reach describes it as Class I to II water, mostly flat and good for canoes. Public landings include the state-managed White House Landing under the U.S. 211 bridge, and Page County rebuilt the Alma Boat Landing in 2021. Check the Luray river gauge before you go: paddlers say the river is hard going when it runs very low.
Then head uphill. Thornton Gap, on U.S. 211 near Luray, is one of four vehicle entrances to Skyline Drive, at mile 31.5. The road runs 105 miles along the crest at a 35 mph limit in most places, and it can close in bad weather. Back in the valley, Luray Caverns, at 101 Cave Hill Road, lists daily hours, a half-mile evergreen hedge maze and a museum of more than 75 historic vehicles.
Getting around
U.S. 211 and U.S. 340 are the spine, running together for several miles near Luray. U.S. 340 follows the valley south through Stanley and Shenandoah toward Elkton and Waynesboro and north toward Front Royal and Interstate 66. U.S. 211 crosses Thornton Gap into Sperryville and Culpeper, and across the valley toward New Market and Interstate 81. Winter weather can close Skyline Drive and slow the mountain crossing, so give yourself margin. Drive times are typical, off-peak.
Schools
Page County Public Schools serves the county. Its central office is at 735 W. Main Street in Luray, and its schools include elementaries in Luray, Shenandoah, Springfield and Stanley, Luray Middle and Page County Middle, and Luray High and Page County High. The county also has a technical center, and Laurel Ridge Community College has a center in Luray. Attendance zones can change, so confirm the zone for any address with the division.
Before you buy
The South Fork floods, and the towns along it have a long record of it. Check FEMA flood maps for any property near the river or its creeks, and price flood insurance before you make an offer.
Cabin rentals are a big part of the local economy, but zoning rules for short-term rentals have been under discussion at the county level. Confirm the current rules with Page County Planning and Community Development, and with the town if the address is in one, before you buy for rental income.
Most rural homes use private wells and septic systems. Budget for water testing, a septic inspection and a pump-out history, and check what a perc test shows on vacant land.
Internet quality varies sharply by road. The county has promoted an All Points Broadband fiber-to-the-home project, so ask which provider actually reaches a given address and at what speed.
Steep and private lanes can be hard in ice and snow. Ask who maintains the road, how it is plowed and whether it is in the state system.
U.S. 211 and U.S. 340 near Luray carry heavy visitor traffic on fall color weekends. Visit an address on a Saturday in October before you commit.
Page County has three incorporated towns: Luray, the county seat, with 4,831 people in 2020; Shenandoah with 2,486; and Stanley with 1,703. Smaller communities include Alma, Battle Creek, Newport and Rileyville.
Recent Bright MLS sales, as of October 2026, mostly fell between $240,000 and $410,000, with a median near $320,000. Current listings skew higher, mostly $500,000 to $750,000, because many are larger homes on acreage.
Yes. American Whitewater rates the Bixler's Bridge to Bentonville reach Class I to II. Public landings include White House Landing under the U.S. 211 bridge and the rebuilt Alma Boat Landing. Check river levels first.
Thornton Gap, at mile 31.5 on Skyline Drive, is reached by U.S. 211 near Luray. It is one of four vehicle entrances to Shenandoah National Park.
Parts are. Land along the South Fork and its creeks is mapped flood plain, and the town of Shenandoah has a history of flooding. Check FEMA flood maps and get a flood zone determination for any property near water.
Nearby
Luray i
Ma
Shenandoah County i
Joanne Knauf can walk you through Page County homes, prices and what to check before you buy. Call (540) 607-0682.
