Lancaster County, Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Lancaster County, 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 Lancaster County, Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Lancaster County, Virginia. The estimated population of Lancaster County, Virginia is 10,916 people, with a median age of 57.1.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
10,916
+2.15%
+0.63%
2020
10,686
 -0.35% -
2019
10,724
 -0.74% -
2018
10,804
 -0.41% -
2017
10,848
 - -

Population of Lancaster County, 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
67.1%
68.2%
 -1.61%
Black/African American
29.1%
28%
 +3.93%
Native
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
1%
1.7%
 -41.18%
Asian
0.9%
0.8%
 +12.50%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
1.2%
 +66.67%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

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 Lancaster County, 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 57.1 -0.17% 56.1 -2.94% 58.2 +2.46%
2020 57.2 -0.17% 57.8 +3.03% 56.8 -2.74%
2019 57.3 +1.06% 56.1 +1.63% 58.4 -0.34%
2018 56.7 +0.71% 55.2 -0.54% 58.6 +2.27%
2017 56.3 - 55.5 - 57.3 -

The median age of Lancaster County, 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 9 396 +13.3% 399 +8.42% 422 412
10 to 19 414 +69.2% 645 12.69% 606 567
20 to 29 416 +3.83% 393 -4.92% 424 367
30 to 39 294 +10.94% 296 +35.44% 313 399
40 to 49 620 -30.14% 615 -7.8% 429 558
50 to 59 809 -16.54% 858 -5.05% 670 813
60 to 69 919 +11.29% 1,228 -4.84% 1,020 1,154
70+ 1,145 +14.07% 1,401 +3.86% 1,310 1,452

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Lancaster County, Virginia is $64,460.00.

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 Lancaster County.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $65,650.00
  • 45 to 64
    $73,991.00
  • 65 and over
    $55,399.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Lancaster County, 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 Lancaster County, Virginia is currently $92,392.00.

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.

9.20% of households in Lancaster County 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 Lancaster County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    19.53%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.19%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.38%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.37%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    13.74%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.60%
  • $200,000 or more
    9.20%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Lancaster County is $44,978.00.

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

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

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Lancaster County 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
    11.78%
  • Bachelor's degree
    28.11%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.58%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    44.81%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.72%

Employment

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

The total population of Lancaster County over the age of 16 is 9,455.

Of those people, a total of 47.70% 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 Lancaster County is 41.70%.

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 546 34.20% 31.60%
20 to 24 years 221 79.20% 0.00%
25 to 29 years 570 77.50% 6.80%
30 to 34 years 386 67.90% 3.10%
35 to 44 years 711 91.10% 11.30%
45 to 54 years 1,221 82.10% 29.20%
55 to 59 years 864 62.00% 0.90%
60 to 64 years 1,039 50.40% 0.40%
65 to 74 years 2,110 24.70% 10.40%
75 years and over 1,787 12.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Lancaster County. 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 6,660 43.80% 6.80%
Black or African American 2,492 55.50% 22.40%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 78 97.40% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 56 100.00% 16.10%
Two or more races 169 47.90% 21.10%
Hispanic or Latino 104 80.80% 10.70%
Not Hispanic or Latino 6,632 43.60% 6.80%

Occupations

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

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Lancaster County is 3,945, with median earnings of $37,600.00.

Women in Lancaster County, Virginia earning approximately 70.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,945 $37,600.00
Male 2,008 $46,090.00
Female 1,937 $32,324.00

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 313 $92,042.00
Business and Financial 309 $49,830.00
Computer and Mathematical 101 $111,094.00
Architecture and Engineering 42 $70,333.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 42 $32,667.00
Community and Social Service 47 $59,583.00
Legal 72 $121,064.00
Educational and Library 212 $43,558.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 55 $62,188.00
Healthcare Practitioners 283 $76,012.00
Healthcare Support 151 $29,583.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 38 $7,500.00
Law Enforcement 22 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 298 $22,632.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 97 $20,625.00
Personal Care and Service 144 $26,750.00
Sales 379 $26,107.00
Office and Administrative Support 376 $30,556.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 34 $55,982.00
Construction and Extraction 203 $31,211.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 237 $56,458.00
Production 302 $36,212.00
Transportation and Material Moving 69 $43,819.00

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 129 $112,679.00 184 $91,583.00
Business and Financial 121 $161,181.00 188 $32,600.00
Computer and Mathematical 88 $111,250.00 13 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 42 $70,333.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 32 $32,667.00 10 $0.00
Community and Social Service 24 $80,192.00 23 $57,917.00
Legal 63 $120,824.00 9 $0.00
Educational and Library 85 $44,111.00 127 $38,083.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 22 $0.00 33 $60,938.00
Healthcare Practitioners 89 $217,292.00 194 $65,625.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 151 $29,583.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 38 $7,500.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 22 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 83 $25,179.00 215 $22,566.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 34 $45,000.00 63 $20,486.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 144 $26,750.00
Sales 199 $31,023.00 180 $13,750.00
Office and Administrative Support 44 $22,031.00 332 $33,400.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 34 $55,982.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 189 $30,898.00 14 $36,250.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 223 $67,673.00 14 $0.00
Production 292 $36,338.00 10 $4,063.00
Transportation and Material Moving 69 $43,819.00 0 $0.00

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 5,197 households in Lancaster County, with an average household size of 2.07 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 2,918 families in Lancaster County with an average family size of 2.81 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 2,425 104 389 2,279
Average Household Size 2.66 3.47 3.8 1.08
Total Families 2,425 104 389 0
Average Household Size 2.65 3.24 3.72 0

Poverty

Of the 2,918 families in Lancaster County, 8.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Lancaster County:

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 7,454 housing units in Lancaster County, Virginia.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,197 69.72%
Vacant 2,257 30.28%

11.91% of the total 7,454 housing units in Lancaster County are rental units. This is approximately 888 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,177 are occupied by the owner - or 56.04% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Lancaster County is $890.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Lancaster County 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
    132
  • Less than $500
    159
  • $500 to $999
    440
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    211
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    46
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    32

Property Value

The median value of a property in Lancaster County is $241,400.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    164
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    410
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    705
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    476
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    829
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    713
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    727
  • $1,000,000 or more
    153

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    940
  • 1940 to 1949
    239
  • 1950 to 1959
    468
  • 1960 to 1969
    833
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,450
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,138
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,028
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,000
  • 2010 to 2013
    358
  • 2014 or later
    0

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 Lancaster County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    208
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,664
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,848
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,477

Commuting to Work

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

29.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Lancaster County.

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
    128
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    518
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    769
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    461
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    380
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    147
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    299
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    39
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    23
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    162
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    152
  • 90 or more minutes
    382

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Lancaster County, 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.

Places in Lancaster County, Virginia

We have data for 8 places in Lancaster County, Virginia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.