Neighborhood · Roanoke, VA

Melrose Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 4,543 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.8/10 · range 5.8–5.8

Melrose is a black (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Roanoke with 1 census tract and a population of 4,543 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 54% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 18% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,194/month sits 20% higher than the Roanoke citywide average ($996).

Risk score

5.8

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

Melrose vs Roanoke How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

54.3% +91%

Roanoke: 28.4%

Average gross rent

$1,194 +20%

Roanoke: $996

Average HH income

$54,268 +3%

Roanoke: $52,671

Poverty rate

34.6% +76%

Roanoke: 19.7%

Renter share

42.3% -11%

Roanoke: 47.6%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Melrose and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 5.8–5.8

Why Melrose scores 5.8

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 3.2–3.2 across tracts

3.2

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 6.3–6.3 across tracts

6.3

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Rent control risk

54% of income on rent · Range 1.5–1.5 across tracts

1.5

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 4.0–4.0 across tracts

4.0

Tenant organizing strength

42% renter households · Range 4.0–4.0 across tracts

4.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Economic stress

34.6% below poverty line · Range 8.7–8.7 across tracts

8.7

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Risk score comparison

Melrose vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Melrose

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
51770002400	5.8	4,543	54%	$1,194

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 88

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 94%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 65%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 87%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 70%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Melrose

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

26.3%Housing insecurity
20.5%Utility shutoff threat
35.8%Food insecurity
38.1%SNAP enrollment
13.4%No health insurance
43.2%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Melrose

What is the eviction-risk score for Melrose?

Melrose scores 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Melrose compare to Roanoke overall?

Melrose scores 1.7 points higher than Roanoke overall (4.1/10). Renters spend 54% of income on rent vs 28% citywide. Average rent: $1,194 vs $996.

What is the average rent in Melrose?

Average gross rent in Melrose is $1,194/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 54% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Melrose residents are renters?

42% of Melrose households are renter-occupied (vs 48% in Roanoke). The neighborhood has 4,543 residents.

Is Melrose a high social-vulnerability area?

Melrose sits in the 88th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Melrose for landlords?

Melrose carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.8/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Roanoke as a whole (4.1/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Melrose?

Melrose has 4,888 residents (Black (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (60.1%), White (non-Hispanic) (21.7%), Hispanic / Latino (14.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Melrose

5.1 Ghent 2 tracts · pop 6,309 5.2 Cedar Bluff 2 tracts · pop 5,369

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Roanoke

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Melrose.

5.8 Miller Court 1 tracts · pop 2,837 5.9 Brentwood 1 tracts · pop 5,753 6 Shadeland 1 tracts · pop 3,401 6.1 Westwood 1 tracts · pop 5,337 5.5 Cedar Bluff 2 tracts · pop 5,369 5.4 Rugby 1 tracts · pop 2,336

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