Northumberland County, Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Northumberland 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 Northumberland County, Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Northumberland County, Virginia. The estimated population of Northumberland County, Virginia is 11,965 people, with a median age of 59.8.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
11,965
 -1.53% -2.36%
2020
12,151
 -0.32% -
2019
12,190
 -0.27% -
2018
12,223
 -0.25% -
2017
12,254
 - -

Population of Northumberland 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
68.3%
69.9%
 -2.29%
Black/African American
21.7%
28.5%
 -23.86%
Native
0%
0.3%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
3.9%
0.5%
 +680.00%
Asian
0.3%
0.1%
 +200.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
5.8%
0.8%
 +625.00%
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 Northumberland 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 59.8 +0.84% 60.9 +1.67% 59.4 +0.34%
2020 59.3 +0.68% 59.9 +2.04% 59.2 +0.17%
2019 58.9 +2.79% 58.7 +4.82% 59.1 +1.9%
2018 57.3 +1.42% 56 +1.27% 58 +0.35%
2017 56.5 - 55.3 - 57.8 -

The median age of Northumberland 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 9 618 -24.92% 324 +13.27% 468 353
10 to 19 525 -13.46% 572 +42.93% 442 829
20 to 29 462 +9.46% 485 -2.3% 474 468
30 to 39 524 -45.63% 514 +8.6% 302 529
40 to 49 445 +25.52% 548 -23.25% 545 400
50 to 59 920 -47.35% 901 -26.63% 546 655
60 to 69 1,062 +14.72% 1,311 +3.58% 1,193 1,351
70+ 1,495 +14.16% 1,548 +10.29% 1,700 1,710

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Northumberland County, Virginia is $61,291.00.

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 Northumberland County.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $53,576.00
  • 45 to 64
    $84,208.00
  • 65 and over
    $50,095.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County, Virginia is currently $90,763.00.

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.

8.31% of households in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    19.19%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.06%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.30%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.88%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.55%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.71%
  • $200,000 or more
    8.31%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Northumberland County is $41,562.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Northumberland 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 Northumberland 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
    17.13%
  • Bachelor's degree
    32.79%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    7.74%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    39.93%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.40%

Employment

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

The total population of Northumberland County over the age of 16 is 10,484.

Of those people, a total of 42.30% 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 Northumberland County is 39.20%.

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 611 32.10% 57.10%
20 to 24 years 566 70.80% 7.50%
25 to 29 years 376 53.20% 7.50%
30 to 34 years 313 72.20% 35.00%
35 to 44 years 1,033 74.40% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 997 83.10% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 634 66.70% 1.20%
60 to 64 years 1,310 53.60% 4.70%
65 to 74 years 2,360 16.10% 13.50%
75 years and over 2,284 13.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Northumberland 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 7,684 38.80% 4.00%
Black or African American 2,129 52.80% 8.40%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 41 95.10% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 630 46.30% 38.40%
Hispanic or Latino 360 23.30% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 7,415 39.40% 4.10%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County is 4,109, with median earnings of $40,260.00.

Women in Northumberland County, Virginia earning approximately 68.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,109 $40,260.00
Male 2,028 $47,344.00
Female 2,081 $32,340.00

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 527 $69,306.00
Business and Financial 79 $131,250.00
Computer and Mathematical 194 $98,659.00
Architecture and Engineering 89 $88,068.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 2 $0.00
Community and Social Service 138 $53,675.00
Legal 30 $76,591.00
Educational and Library 163 $27,232.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 161 $21,406.00
Healthcare Practitioners 413 $72,461.00
Healthcare Support 174 $16,837.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 84 $0.00
Law Enforcement 68 $44,342.00
Food Preparation and Serving 162 $7,138.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 109 $3,533.00
Personal Care and Service 58 $5,682.00
Sales 415 $14,792.00
Office and Administrative Support 347 $36,125.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 62 $53,198.00
Construction and Extraction 457 $27,339.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 69 $13,681.00
Production 173 $32,569.00
Transportation and Material Moving 113 $43,155.00

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 322 $69,949.00 205 $22,135.00
Business and Financial 28 $163,654.00 51 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 139 $99,360.00 55 $79,102.00
Architecture and Engineering 89 $88,068.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 2 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 15 $0.00 123 $53,449.00
Legal 19 $0.00 11 $0.00
Educational and Library 0 $0.00 163 $27,232.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 80 $14,674.00 81 $43,281.00
Healthcare Practitioners 52 $70,000.00 361 $72,461.00
Healthcare Support 14 $0.00 160 $16,627.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 84 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 29 $0.00 39 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 65 $36,576.00 97 $5,960.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 39 $4,620.00 70 $2,499.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 58 $5,682.00
Sales 171 $41,458.00 244 $14,306.00
Office and Administrative Support 0 $0.00 347 $36,125.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 62 $53,198.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 449 $27,294.00 8 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 69 $13,681.00 0 $0.00
Production 173 $32,569.00 0 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 105 $43,631.00 8 $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 5,127 households in Northumberland County, with an average household size of 2.33 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 3,184 families in Northumberland County with an average family size of 2.92 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 2,564 71 549 1,943
Average Household Size 2.85 2.31 3.99 1.18
Total Families 2,564 71 549 0
Average Household Size 2.79 2.31 3.62 0

Poverty

Of the 3,184 families in Northumberland County, 11.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Northumberland 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 8,986 housing units in Northumberland County, Virginia.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,127 57.06%
Vacant 3,859 42.94%

4.61% of the total 8,986 housing units in Northumberland County are rental units. This is approximately 414 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,565 are occupied by the owner - or 50.80% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Northumberland County is $977.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Northumberland 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
    148
  • Less than $500
    26
  • $500 to $999
    186
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    161
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    41

Property Value

The median value of a property in Northumberland County is $282,600.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    594
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    293
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    524
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    363
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    650
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,269
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    714
  • $1,000,000 or more
    158

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    809
  • 1940 to 1949
    185
  • 1950 to 1959
    747
  • 1960 to 1969
    485
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,151
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,597
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,545
  • 2000 to 2009
    2,142
  • 2010 to 2013
    325
  • 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 Northumberland County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    261
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,488
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,823
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,555

Commuting to Work

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

35.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Northumberland 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
    58
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    235
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    474
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    524
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    285
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    303
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    543
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    78
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    217
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    225
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    305
  • 90 or more minutes
    278

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Northumberland 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 Northumberland County, Virginia

We have data for 6 places in Northumberland County, Virginia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.