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Community, Augusta County · Virginia
A U.S. 340 farm-country community in southeast Augusta County with a Reese's plant on the edge
Community, Augusta County
Stuarts Draft is an unincorporated community of 12,142 people in southeast Augusta County, along U.S. 340 between Staunton and Waynesboro. Hershey runs a large plant here. Recent Bright MLS sales for homes with a Stuarts Draft address, as of October 2026, mostly fell between $280,000 and $375,000, with a median near $360,000.
Life here
Stuarts Draft is farm country with a factory in it. The community sits on the northwest side of the Blue Ridge in southeast Augusta County, about 8 miles south of Staunton and 7 miles southwest of Waynesboro. Settlers arrived in the 1730s, the post office opened in 1837, and the railroad came in 1882. The word draft here refers to a valley or cove in the land, not a wind or a military call-up.
U.S. 340, the Stuarts Draft Highway, is the main road, and it carries most of the daily traffic, with shops, restaurants and services strung along it. Hershey opened its plant here in 1980, and it is described as the company's second-largest U.S. plant. The company announced a $104 million expansion in 2019 and a $135 million expansion in 2020, adding jobs. A historic commercial district along Draft Avenue and old farmhouses such as the Bare House and Mill and the Harper House recall the earlier community.
Because Stuarts Draft is unincorporated, you pay Augusta County taxes and use county services. Most households own cars, and there is no walkable core. What you get in return is more space: the recent sold median lot here is about half an acre.
Neighborhoods & homes
Recent Bright MLS closed sales with a Stuarts Draft address, as of October 2026, included 19 houses. Most fell between $280,000 and $375,000, with a median near $360,000. The typical sold home was built around 1993, holds about 1,630 square feet and sits on about half an acre. One house was active on Bright at that time, priced between $500,000 and $750,000, built around 2022. Bright covers only part of the local market, so this is only a partial picture.
The typical sold house dates to roughly 1993, with about 1,630 square feet and a lot near half an acre. Expect yards big enough for a garden or a shop. Ask about roof age, HVAC and whether public water and sewer serve the street.
Outside the denser streets along U.S. 340, parcels get larger and roads get narrower. Private wells and septic are common, and farm equipment shares the road. Request water tests and a septic inspection.
The one active Bright listing was built around 2022 and priced above the recent sold range, so newer houses cost more than the older ones that dominate the sales. Ask builders about warranties and covenants.
The Draft Avenue commercial district and older farmhouses give the community its historic core. Old houses can carry upkeep costs, so budget for inspections of foundations, wiring and roofs.
For Sale
108 ASHLEY RD Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$425,000
For Sale
159 FALLING ROCK DR Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$349,900
For Sale
81 MORNINGVIEW CT Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$444,900
For Sale
84 GREENBRIAR LN Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$345,000
For Sale
22 WAYNE AVE Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$599,000
For Sale
17 ASHTON DR Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$280,000
For Sale
46 BROOKMILL RD Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$294,900
For Sale
517 OLD WHITE HILL RD Stuarts Draft, VA 24477
$349,900
Around Stuarts Draft
Lower-priced homes for first-time buyers and investors.
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.
Homes built in 2025 or later.
Things to do
Stuarts Draft Park is a 13-acre county park that opened in 2004, with a pool, an amphitheater and ball fields. Kate Schneider Park and Friendship Park also have baseball fields. Check Augusta County Parks and Recreation for pool hours and event schedules.
For longer outings, Waynesboro and Rockfish Gap are about a 15-minute drive east, with the South River Greenway, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Staunton's downtown is about the same distance north.
Getting around
U.S. 340 runs north to Staunton and south toward Waynesboro, and the community is near both I-81 and I-64. Most commuters use U.S. 340 to reach one of the two interstates. Winter weather at Rockfish Gap can affect trips east to Charlottesville. Flights leave from Weyers Cave off I-81. Drive times are typical, off-peak.
Schools
Augusta County Public Schools serves Stuarts Draft. Public schools in the community include Guy K. Stump Elementary, Stuarts Draft Elementary, Stuarts Draft Middle and Stuarts Draft High School. Private schools also operate in the community. Confirm zones for any address with the division.
Before you buy
Stuarts Draft is unincorporated, so Augusta County taxes and services apply. Mailing address does not guarantee the same jurisdiction as nearby Waynesboro or Staunton.
Outside the public utility areas, wells and septic systems are common. Test the water and inspect the septic before closing.
U.S. 340 carries commuter and truck traffic, and the Hershey plant is a major employer. Visit an address at shift-change times if it is close to the highway.
Farm equipment uses rural roads, and internet options vary on back roads. Ask providers what actually serves the address.
Nineteen recent Bright sales and one active listing are a small window. Ask for a current search from all MLS feeds before judging prices.
No. It is an unincorporated census-designated place in Augusta County, with 12,142 residents in 2020. County government, county taxes and county schools apply here.
Hershey opened a manufacturing plant here in 1980. It is described as the company's second-largest U.S. plant, and Hershey announced expansions of $104 million in 2019 and $135 million in 2020.
Recent Bright MLS sales for Stuarts Draft addresses, as of October 2026, mostly fell between $280,000 and $375,000, with a median near $360,000. It is a small sample of 19 houses.
It is in southeast Augusta County, about 8 miles south of Staunton and 7 miles southwest of Waynesboro, along U.S. 340. Each is roughly a 15- to 20-minute drive.
Augusta County Public Schools runs Stuarts Draft High School in the community. Confirm the zone for any address with the division, since boundaries can change.
Nearby
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Joanne Knauf can walk you through Stuarts Draft homes, prices and what to check before you buy. Call (540) 607-0682.
