Population 24,048 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lorton
Household size in Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.98 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.04 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.16 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.15 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Lorton are large by national standards, averaging 3.15 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.98 in 2006–10, 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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.5 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Lorton is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The Washington area as a whole looks much the same. The median age has climbed from 33.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Lorton: 6.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 5.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Lorton 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 Lorton
Renters in Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.7% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.0% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Lorton rent their homes (27.9%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than one in five owners (22.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 6.1 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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Lorton as nationally: 8.4%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Washington area (5.9%). Vacancy has risen 1.8 points since 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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Lorton has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1989 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,629 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,750 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,323 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,749 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,119 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Lorton pays $2,749 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,119 a month from 2006–10, a 69% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the east.
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 Lorton
Bachelor's degrees in Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.1% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.2% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.1% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 60.8% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.6 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Lorton: 60.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 14.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.0% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Lorton: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.8 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 Lorton
| Period | Lorton | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lorton is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Lorton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorton | 3.15 | 38.3 | 6.7% | 27.9% | 8.4% | 1992 | $2,749 | 60.8% | 94.3% | 5.2% |
| Laurel Hill | 2.72 | 40.7 | 5.5% | 22.2% | 8.3% | 2001 | $2,488 | 63.4% | 95.5% | 2.4% |
| Newington Forest | 3.55 | 41.8 | 5.6% | 1.1% | 10.7% | 2006 | $2,439 | 69.5% | 94.4% | 2.7% |
| Mason Neck | 2.45 | 53.6 | 1.7% | 8.3% | 7.4% | 1978 | $2,250 | 54.9% | 92.3% | 4.0% |
| Newington | 3.04 | 40.4 | 6.2% | 15.8% | 4.1% | 1983 | $3,010 | 64.5% | 95.6% | 5.6% |
| Crosspointe | 3.29 | 42.7 | 3.5% | 0.0% | 6.3% | 1996 | $2,454 | 72.4% | 98.4% | 3.5% |
| Occoquan | 2.35 | 38.4 | 15.5% | 35.4% | 2.2% | 1976 | $2,097 | 38.1% | 84.5% | 10.2% |
| Fort Belvoir | 3.96 | 21.1 | 8.0% | 99.1% | 13.1% | 1997 | $3,113 | 55.6% | 98.0% | 4.8% |
| Lake Ridge | 2.94 | 38.0 | 12.8% | 23.2% | 4.3% | 1988 | $2,327 | 50.4% | 92.2% | 3.7% |
| Marumsco | 4.04 | 32.5 | 24.3% | 26.8% | 7.5% | 1970 | $2,168 | 16.6% | 72.7% | 5.4% |
| West Springfield | 2.92 | 43.8 | 10.0% | 23.2% | 3.6% | 1975 | $2,913 | 64.3% | 94.3% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Red Lion, PA · Jesup, GA · Johnston, IA · Joshua, TX · Junction City, KS · Kenmore, WA · Libertyville, IL · Loves Park, IL · Orange City, FL · Palmetto Bay, FL
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 Lorton. 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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