Now, for the annual showdown between the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, though first noting that:

• City of Harrisonburg = 17.41 square miles (around 13K properties)
   
  
• Rockingham County = 853 square miles (around 86K properties)
  

So, let's see how home sales compare between these two regions....

• There always seem to be more home sales in the County than in the City, at least when looking at the past five years.  Last year, 67% of buyers bought in the County, and 33% bought in the City.
   
• Sales are growing faster in the County than in the City, as over the past five years, sales have increased 23% in the County, while only increasing 9% in the City. That said, over the past year, sales in the County and the City both declined.
   
• Properties sell much more frequently in the City of Harrisonburg, as last year, approximately 3% of City properties changed ownership, while only approximately 1% of County properties changed ownership.

There are any number of factors that affect whether buyers end up buying in the City or County, including what type of property they are seeking, how much land they desires, school systems, employer locations, and much more.