Want to see what's for sale?
Who this area suits
Is this your part of town?
Buyers who want a newer house on a bigger lot, a lower real estate tax rate, golf, and a reasonable drive into the city.
Where it is: Forest Road (US 221), Thomas Jefferson Road (Route 811), Perrowville Road, and Boonsboro Road (US 501) past the city line.
A Bedford County tax bill
Forest is unincorporated Bedford County: no town government and no city taxes. The county's real estate rate is $0.41 per $100 for 2026, about half the city's $0.84. The vehicle tax is $2.35 against the city's $3.80. Forest has its own ZIP code, but homes on the Boonsboro side often carry Lynchburg mailing addresses.
No curbside trash
Bedford County does not collect trash at the curb. Residents use the county's convenience centers (there are 25, and 15 take recycling) or hire a private hauler. It's a small thing until it's your Saturday.
Water and sewer depend on the street
Bedford Regional Water Authority serves the more developed parts of the county. Farther out, homes are on well and septic. Ask which one the house has, and get the septic inspected.
Ivy Hill and the golf-course side
Ivy Hill is built around a semi-private 18-hole course and the 112-acre Ivy Lake, with attached golf-course homes at Ivalace by the Greens. Homes right on Ivy Lake rarely come up for sale.
History next door
Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, his retreat home, is in Forest. So is Jefferson Forest High School, across Perrowville Road from the new Westyn Village townhomes.
One thing to watch here
Forest's subdivisions feed onto a few main roads. Drive your commute at rush hour before you commit, and ask what is zoned or planned for the open land nearby.
The practical facts
- Jurisdiction
- Bedford County
- Places
- Forest, Boonsboro (county side), Perrowville
- Downtown Lynchburg
- about 20 min
- Bedford (town)
- about 25 min
- Roanoke
- about 1 hr
- Smith Mountain Lake
- about 1 hr
Schools
Bedford County Public Schools. Jefferson Forest High School is in Forest. Confirm the zone for the address.
Communities in and around Forest & Bedford Co.
A starting point, not a complete list — ask us about the smaller pockets.
| Neighborhood | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| ForestSuburban | Forest · Bedford Co. | Unincorporated Bedford County along Forest Road (US 221) and Thomas Jefferson Road, home to Jefferson Forest High School and Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest. |
| Ivy HillGolf · Lake | Forest · Bedford Co. | Built around the semi-private 18-hole Ivy Hill course and the 112-acre Ivy Lake, including the attached golf-course homes at Ivalace by the Greens. |
| Boonsboro MeadowsSuburban | Lynchburg · Bedford Co. | A subdivision off Boonsboro Road on the Bedford County side of the line, with Lynchburg 24503 mailing addresses and Bedford County taxes. |
| Westyn VillageTownhomes · New Construction | Forest · Bedford Co. | A townhome community on Perrowville Road in Forest, across from Jefferson Forest High School. |
What are you looking for here?
The agent who is right for a restored Victorian here is not the agent who is right for new construction. Pick what fits.
New Construction
Most new houses around Lynchburg go up in the county ring (Forest, Timberlake, Rustburg), plus a few planned neighborhoods inside the city.
What to knowLand & Farms
Pasture, woods and farmhouses in Campbell, Bedford, Amherst and Appomattox counties. Each county has its own land rules, and they decide what a parcel is worth to you.
What to knowCondos & Lofts
Lock the door and go: converted warehouse lofts downtown, townhomes in planned neighborhoods, and golf-course homes out in Forest.
What to knowRelocation
Coming for Centra, Framatome, BWXT, Liberty or one of the colleges? Pick the commute first and the neighborhood second.
What to knowOther parts of the Lynchburg area
Downtown & the Historic Hills
Lofts above the James and the old hills around them: Garland, Diamond, Federal, Daniel's, College and Court House. Porches, long front steps, and real design review.
Explore this areaRivermont, Peakland & Boonsboro
The established west end: Rivermont Avenue's old houses, the Peakland neighborhood, and Boonsboro Road running out toward the county line, with two colleges in the middle of it.
Explore this areaWards Road, Wyndhurst & Timberlake
The newer, busier south side: Liberty University, the big shopping corridor, planned neighborhoods like Wyndhurst and Cornerstone, and Timberlake across the Campbell County line.
Explore this areaThinking about Forest & Bedford Co.?
Tell us what you're picturing and we'll introduce you to an agent who works this exact part of town every week. Free, and you're not committing to anything.
- 100% free to you
- No obligation, ever
- One real conversation
- We never sell your info