Have you ever considered Bedford Virginia?
City of Bedford population: about 6,000
Shopping, including, walmart, various chain stores in a strip mall. Nice eating establishments, car dealerships, town pride. Low taxes.
Only 30 minutes away from Smith Mountain lake, City of Lynchburg, and City of Roanoke. Roanoke is the major metropolitan city of Southwest Virginia, population about 90,000.
Bedford is a small quiet town nestled right in the middle. Its logo features "sharp top" and "flat top" mountain. Most of Bedford County is rural, it is the sixth largest county in Virginia geographicly. Only minutes away from the Blue Ridge Parkway, including the peaks of otter lodge and the hike up to sharp top mountain, which litterly comes to a point. You can stand at the top of that mountain and see for miles. Bus rides are available to the summit for a small fee. Hiking is free.
Bedford is also home of the National D Day Memorial of WWII.
Last time I checked, the average middle income house sells for about $100-$150k, tax rate for the county was at $0.80 per $100 assessed. Not bad for all the Bedford offers.
It is where I was born and raised, and where I hope to return too when my job allows me.
Here are a few websites for more info:
http://www.visitbedford.com/ <--- Bedford County Tourism/Visitors Info
http://www.co.bedford.va.us/ <--Office Bedford County website
http://www.bedfordva.gov/ <----- City of Bedford Website
So why did I leave Bedford and move to Pulaski? Because I was an idiot. I was a young, dumb, idiot.