Population 8,705,170 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Virginia
Household size in Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, Virginia sits close to the national average of 2.65. Households are largest in northern Virginia and smallest in southwestern Virginia.
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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Virginia are younger than 40.3 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in southeastern Virginia and oldest in southwestern Virginia.
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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Virginia (10.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 Virginia
Renters in Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Virginia rent their homes (32.7%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 33.1% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in southeastern Virginia; owners are most common in northern Virginia. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.5 points, as it has nationally.
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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Virginia as nationally: 8.7%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.6 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Virginia is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in northern Virginia, while western Virginia 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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Virginia pays $1,743 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $600 a month from 2006–10, a 53% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in southwestern Virginia; the highest are in northeastern Virginia.
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 Virginia
Bachelor's degrees in Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Virginia than nationally: 42.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.3 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in northeastern Virginia and least in southwestern Virginia.
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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Virginia is a bit above the national rate: 91.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Virginia
| Period | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Virginia than nationally: unemployment was 4.3%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.7 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Virginia compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 2.62 | 40.3 | 10.7% | 32.7% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,743 | 42.5% | 91.6% | 4.3% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
| Maryland | 2.68 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 32.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,869 | 43.4% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| West Virginia | 2.43 | 43.2 | 10.4% | 25.1% | 14.9% | 1976 | $905 | 25.0% | 89.4% | 5.5% |
| North Carolina | 2.52 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 33.4% | 11.4% | 1990 | $1,317 | 36.2% | 90.2% | 4.8% |
| Delaware | 2.58 | 43.0 | 12.3% | 27.0% | 9.6% | 1984 | $1,514 | 35.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 2.46 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 30.7% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,323 | 35.6% | 91.8% | 5.4% |
| New Jersey | 2.76 | 40.9 | 11.3% | 36.2% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,896 | 43.4% | 90.2% | 6.4% |
| South Carolina | 2.50 | 41.2 | 11.7% | 28.1% | 11.8% | 1991 | $1,294 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 4.9% |
| Ohio | 2.46 | 40.8 | 11.7% | 32.8% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,142 | 31.9% | 91.7% | 4.9% |
| New York | 2.65 | 40.8 | 11.6% | 45.7% | 9.7% | 1961 | $1,794 | 39.8% | 87.3% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: California · Arkansas · Idaho · Hawaii · Georgia · Florida · District of Columbia · Delaware · Connecticut · Colorado
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 Virginia. 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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