Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Virginia, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Virginia. The estimated population of Virginia is 8,582,479 people, with a median age of 38.5.

We can look at the total population in Virginia over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
8,582,479
+0.86%
+2.59%
2020
8,509,358
+0.65%
-
2019
8,454,463
+0.48%
-
2018
8,413,774
+0.57%
-
2017
8,365,952
 - -

Population of Virginia by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
60.6%
62.6%
 -3.19%
Black/African American
18.7%
18.8%
 -0.53%
Native
0.2%
0.2%
 0.00%
Hispanic
9.8%
9%
 +8.89%
Asian
6.7%
6.2%
 +8.06%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0.1%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.7%
2.9%
 +27.59%
Other
0.4%
0.2%
 +100.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Virginia by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 38.5 +0.26% 37.4 +0.81% 39.6 -0.25%
2020 38.4 +0.52% 37.1 +0.27% 39.7 +0.51%
2019 38.2 +0.26% 37 +0.54% 39.5 +0.25%
2018 38.1 +0.26% 36.8 +0.27% 39.4 +0.25%
2017 38 - 36.7 - 39.3 -

The median age of Virginia gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 525,263 -0.31% 506,807 -2% 523,588 496,766
10 to 19 545,906 +3.91% 521,332 +3.8% 567,482 541,442
20 to 29 599,794 -1.14% 571,513 -1.33% 592,918 563,934
30 to 39 564,434 +4.34% 562,468 +4.81% 589,300 589,995
40 to 49 551,256 -0.28% 566,041 -3.35% 549,599 547,316
50 to 59 566,657 +0.27% 599,104 -2.54% 568,102 584,001
60 to 69 431,193 +9.5% 479,042 +7.48% 473,618 515,814
70+ 329,485 +14.73% 445,657 +11.29% 380,674 497,930

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Virginia is $80,615.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Virginia.

  • Under 25
    $40,953.00
  • 25 to 44
    $86,973.00
  • 45 to 64
    $99,057.00
  • 65 and over
    $57,591.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Virginia, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Virginia, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Virginia is currently $111,013.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

13.06% of households in Virginia are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Virginia against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    14.07%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    16.99%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.81%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.76%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    17.62%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    9.70%
  • $200,000 or more
    13.06%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Virginia is $43,267.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Virginia by the total population of Virginia.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Virginia, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Virginia to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    20.50%
  • Bachelor's degree
    36.00%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.66%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    31.57%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.26%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Virginia that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Virginia over the age of 16 is 6,903,607.

Of those people, a total of 65.90% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Virginia is 61.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 450,406 40.50% 15.20%
20 to 24 years 570,680 75.30% 9.20%
25 to 29 years 586,172 84.90% 5.40%
30 to 34 years 589,273 84.80% 4.30%
35 to 44 years 1,136,245 84.90% 3.40%
45 to 54 years 1,119,597 83.50% 3.30%
55 to 59 years 583,198 75.60% 3.00%
60 to 64 years 539,436 61.50% 3.00%
65 to 74 years 803,270 28.90% 3.40%
75 years and over 525,330 7.60% 2.60%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Virginia. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 4,596,892 64.50% 3.80%
Black or African American 1,302,992 66.30% 7.20%
American Indian and Alaska Native 19,581 67.30% 5.20%
Asian 470,206 69.70% 3.70%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 4,364 68.90% 7.00%
Other 189,331 76.30% 5.00%
Two or more races 320,241 72.70% 6.40%
Hispanic or Latino 597,786 76.00% 4.70%
Not Hispanic or Latino 4,330,435 63.80% 3.70%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Virginia as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Virginia is 4,219,781, with median earnings of $46,504.00.

Women in Virginia earning approximately 71.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,219,781 $46,504.00
Male 2,188,229 $54,672.00
Female 2,031,552 $39,165.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 506,578 $86,982.00
Business and Financial 302,750 $79,492.00
Computer and Mathematical 255,560 $101,948.00
Architecture and Engineering 92,861 $91,391.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 51,849 $76,023.00
Community and Social Service 79,752 $47,562.00
Legal 66,269 $121,574.00
Educational and Library 276,165 $47,382.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 86,110 $50,373.00
Healthcare Practitioners 236,320 $62,062.00
Healthcare Support 111,325 $25,438.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 60,221 $45,097.00
Law Enforcement 53,927 $64,868.00
Food Preparation and Serving 205,904 $14,943.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 137,792 $22,369.00
Personal Care and Service 113,193 $19,079.00
Sales 378,185 $31,683.00
Office and Administrative Support 429,388 $36,507.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 14,146 $26,113.00
Construction and Extraction 193,231 $39,747.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 123,294 $49,448.00
Production 174,810 $38,983.00
Transportation and Material Moving 144,017 $37,617.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 291,526 $101,162.00 215,052 $73,309.00
Business and Financial 139,184 $91,322.00 163,566 $70,797.00
Computer and Mathematical 183,654 $106,315.00 71,906 $90,798.00
Architecture and Engineering 77,516 $94,169.00 15,345 $80,672.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 27,243 $84,257.00 24,606 $66,896.00
Community and Social Service 25,402 $50,082.00 54,350 $46,030.00
Legal 34,262 $156,456.00 32,007 $85,327.00
Educational and Library 71,778 $54,808.00 204,387 $44,577.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 41,089 $56,760.00 45,021 $43,874.00
Healthcare Practitioners 52,887 $82,823.00 183,433 $57,851.00
Healthcare Support 14,296 $30,425.00 97,029 $24,831.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 43,739 $49,396.00 16,482 $34,139.00
Law Enforcement 42,462 $68,059.00 11,465 $53,677.00
Food Preparation and Serving 90,816 $17,031.00 115,088 $13,708.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 80,605 $26,631.00 57,187 $18,891.00
Personal Care and Service 26,418 $21,516.00 86,775 $18,264.00
Sales 187,076 $44,467.00 191,109 $22,464.00
Office and Administrative Support 107,149 $42,897.00 322,239 $34,906.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 11,572 $27,336.00 2,574 $19,375.00
Construction and Extraction 185,789 $40,138.00 7,442 $32,140.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 117,276 $50,067.00 6,018 $41,264.00
Production 123,519 $43,993.00 51,291 $28,074.00
Transportation and Material Moving 119,645 $40,904.00 24,372 $22,460.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 3,248,528 households in Virginia, with an average household size of 2.57 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 2,134,654 families in Virginia with an average family size of 3.15 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,617,381 143,990 373,283 1,113,874
Average Household Size 3.21 3.28 3.34 1.28
Total Families 1,617,381 143,990 373,283 0
Average Household Size 3.18 2.88 3.14 0

Poverty

Of the 2,134,654 families in Virginia, 6.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Virginia:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 3,596,100 housing units in Virginia.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,248,528 90.33%
Vacant 347,572 9.67%

28.63% of the total 3,596,100 housing units in Virginia are rental units. This is approximately 1,029,733 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,164,967 are occupied by the owner - or 60.20% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Virginia is $1,326.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Virginia that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    53,828
  • Less than $500
    66,346
  • $500 to $999
    242,411
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    305,047
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    225,609
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    107,721
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    43,487
  • $3,000 or more
    39,112

Property Value

The median value of a property in Virginia is $295,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Virginia that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    88,780
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    125,461
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    178,608
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    251,096
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    458,341
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    568,400
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    420,441
  • $1,000,000 or more
    73,840

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Virginia. The chart below shows the number of properties in Virginia that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    258,472
  • 1940 to 1949
    155,016
  • 1950 to 1959
    303,443
  • 1960 to 1969
    375,125
  • 1970 to 1979
    545,053
  • 1980 to 1989
    581,755
  • 1990 to 1999
    555,497
  • 2000 to 2009
    530,432
  • 2010 to 2013
    285,998
  • 2014 or later
    5,309

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Virginia that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    196,083
  • 1 vehicle available
    976,125
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,226,924
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    849,396

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Virginia get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Virginia that commute to work in a particular way.

28.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Virginia.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    85,085
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    301,107
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    453,518
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    571,696
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    535,641
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    266,663
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    546,048
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    131,229
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    161,392
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    353,965
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    259,423
  • 90 or more minutes
    115,089

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Virginia in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Counties in Virginia

We have data for 133 counties in Virginia. Click on a county below to see more information about the demographics of that county, with links to cities and towns within that county.

Zip Codes in Virginia

If you want to find out more about the population and demographics of specific zip codes in Virginia, click on the links below.