Rural Retreat, Virginia
Rural Retreat is a town of 1,644 people in Wythe County, Virginia.
Why visit Rural Retreat
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark and 6 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Rural Retreat Depot.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Rural Retreat
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rural Retreat
Rural Retreat is a town in Wythe County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Rural Retreat had a population of 1,546.
From the Wikipedia article Rural Retreat, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Rural Retreat Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Railway station in Rural Retreat, the United States of America
Restaurants and cafes6
Rural Retreat Winery & Vineyards
Brewery and winery · 0.7 mi
201 Church Street, Rural Retreat
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich
576 North Main Street, Rural Retreat
Mo-Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-22:00
Churches and places of worship6
Kimberling Lutheran Cemetery
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic site in Wythe County, Virginia, US
Shopping2
History
Rural Retreat was originally named Mount Airy. The name was changed because of confusion with other communities named Mount Airy. The community is located between Marion and Wytheville near the railroad line. During the 19th century, when the railroad was named Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, it had a Mount Airy depot.
The Kimberling Lutheran Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980; the Rural Retreat Depot was listed in 2014.
From the History section of Rural Retreat, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Rural Retreat
25 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 24°F | 3.2 in | 5.9 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 26°F | 2.9 in | 4.9 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 31°F | 3.6 in | 2.9 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 39°F | 3.8 in | 0.5 in |
| May | 72°F | 48°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 53°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 41°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 31°F | 2.6 in | 0.4 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 27°F | 3.2 in | 3.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wytheville (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Wythe County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-04: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-10-01: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-29: Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Mercer County Airport (BLF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 27 miles away.
- Marion 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- Independence 20 mi south, about 33 min by car
- Bluefield 23 mi north, about 37 min by car
- Chilhowie 24 mi west, about 38 min by car
- Galax 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Claypool Hill 28 mi northwest, about 46 min by car
- Glade Spring 29 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Sparta 29 mi south, about 47 min by car
- Hillsville 31 mi east, about 51 min by car
- Richlands 32 mi northwest, about 52 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.