Population 8,459 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Ridgeway
Household size in Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.26 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.66 people per household, Ridgeway sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.40 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.1 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.3 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.7 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.7, Ridgeway is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 45.1, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Ridgeway as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. Compared with other Virginia cities, Ridgeway has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Ridgeway
Renters in Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.6% of households in Ridgeway rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 48.7% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.8 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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.8% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Ridgeway: 20.1% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 8.3 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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Ridgeway leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north has the oldest housing.
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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $534 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $593 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $601 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $724 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$191 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Ridgeway runs $724 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $191 a month from 2006–10, a 36% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only six of the 243 Virginia cities with 5,000+ people have lower rents.
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 Ridgeway
Bachelor's degrees in Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Ridgeway have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 18 of the 243 Virginia cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.8% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.2% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Ridgeway never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.9 points, in line with the national trend. Ridgeway has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Virginia cities.
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 Ridgeway
| Period | Ridgeway | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Ridgeway than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Ridgeway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeway | 2.66 | 44.7 | 11.4% | 17.6% | 20.1% | 1975 | $724 | 16.5% | 86.8% | 3.6% |
| Chestnut Knob | 1.99 | 55.0 | 13.6% | 3.9% | 8.9% | 1975 | $678 | 8.8% | 72.4% | 7.9% |
| Horse Pasture | 2.44 | 51.6 | 11.4% | 20.1% | 15.0% | 1969 | $768 | 16.9% | 87.8% | 5.9% |
| Irisburg | 2.93 | 43.7 | 12.0% | 24.2% | 17.8% | 1983 | $735 | 1.8% | 81.6% | 3.1% |
| Koehler | 2.19 | 54.5 | 11.9% | 10.1% | 17.4% | 1976 | $926 | 8.9% | 83.8% | 0.0% |
| Martinsville | 2.36 | 43.1 | 12.7% | 35.9% | 16.3% | 1965 | $822 | 19.9% | 88.4% | 3.4% |
| Spencer | 2.23 | 46.7 | 18.0% | 13.5% | 14.5% | 1975 | $713 | 16.9% | 83.1% | 5.2% |
| Preston | 1.96 | 57.0 | 6.7% | 17.1% | 16.5% | 1969 | $875 | 23.4% | 82.1% | 6.4% |
| Stoneville | 2.35 | 45.9 | 8.1% | 16.7% | 6.9% | 1981 | $939 | 14.8% | 81.0% | 5.7% |
| Eden | 2.40 | 42.3 | 12.9% | 37.2% | 13.3% | 1970 | $835 | 14.2% | 86.0% | 7.2% |
| Axton | 2.46 | 49.0 | 10.5% | 20.1% | 13.9% | 1986 | $856 | 9.9% | 77.8% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Northumberland, PA · Old Forge, PA · Odessa, MO · Oakdale, LA · Oakdale, CT · Oak Island, NC · Oak Harbor, OH · Oak Grove, MN · Notre Dame, IN · Northwood, OH
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 Ridgeway. 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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