Population 14,891 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gloucester
Household size in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.65 people per household, Gloucester sits right at the national average. The typical household here is bigger than in the Virginia Beach area as a whole, where it has 2.54 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.57, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.4 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.1 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.9 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Gloucester is 43.9 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 43.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Gloucester: 7.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 5.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Gloucester has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Virginia cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Gloucester
Renters in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Gloucester is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 30.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.1 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Gloucester than nationally: 12.0%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 1.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Gloucester is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1985 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $776 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $930 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,206 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,237 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$461 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Gloucester runs $1,237 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $461 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 24.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Gloucester
Bachelor's degrees in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.4% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.4% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.0% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Gloucester than nationally: 27.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.7% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Gloucester is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Virginia Beach area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.7 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Gloucester
| Period | Gloucester | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Gloucester has been low: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.7 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Gloucester compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester | 2.65 | 43.9 | 7.1% | 13.0% | 12.0% | 1989 | $1,237 | 27.0% | 93.4% | 3.0% |
| Gloucester Courthouse | 2.29 | 48.8 | 2.9% | 22.9% | 14.7% | 1994 | $935 | 24.9% | 93.2% | 0.7% |
| Woods Cross Roads | 2.53 | 45.6 | 5.4% | 12.3% | 10.4% | 1994 | $1,220 | 20.1% | 95.5% | 0.7% |
| Nuttall | 2.31 | 46.5 | 9.0% | 9.2% | 12.7% | 1995 | $1,255 | 32.5% | 97.6% | 6.7% |
| Clay Bank | 2.39 | 48.4 | 8.9% | 16.0% | 17.3% | 1987 | $1,266 | 24.8% | 94.7% | 1.3% |
| Signpine | 2.88 | 37.2 | 12.8% | 12.2% | 5.4% | 1991 | $1,420 | 13.5% | 94.1% | 2.3% |
| Pinero | 2.35 | 49.9 | 2.0% | 12.6% | 12.9% | 1995 | $1,121 | 23.2% | 96.0% | 0.0% |
| Harcum | 2.56 | 43.7 | 7.3% | 15.2% | 12.1% | 1994 | $1,189 | 25.2% | 96.8% | 3.7% |
| Pampa | 2.35 | 49.9 | 2.0% | 12.6% | 12.9% | 1995 | $1,113 | 23.2% | 96.0% | 0.0% |
| North | 2.12 | 55.8 | 1.8% | 11.8% | 19.4% | 1979 | $1,159 | 32.8% | 93.7% | 13.6% |
| Selden | 2.19 | 62.5 | 9.0% | 7.8% | 15.6% | 1992 | $1,121 | 33.2% | 88.3% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Swampscott, MA · Dunmore, PA · Durham, NH · Edgewood, WA · Englewood, OH · Eufaula, AL · Fair Oaks, GA · Finneytown, OH · Fleetwood, PA · Florida, PR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Gloucester. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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