United States › Virginia › Big Stone Gap CITY
Big Stone Gap Virginia · 5,102 residents (2025 est.) · 4.80 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Big Stone Gap is a city of 5,162 people in Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. 26.2% of people here live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 41%. The foreign-born share is 2%. The typical home is worth $163,000, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,856 in 2000
5,102 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,076 / sq mi
−9%since 2009
from 1,176 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 5K 5K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Big Stone Gap Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,581
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,584 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,284 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 25.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.444 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 8.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$163,000
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$797
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $333 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.7% in 2000
36.7% rent
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.4%(4,536)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(29)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.5%(3,950)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(91)
from 36 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 66.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 37.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 52.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 37.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 74.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 45.6%(1,255)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 32.9%(95)
Gulf War (1990s) 30.4%(88)
Share of the 289 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Big Stone Gap Head to head
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BIG STONE GAP VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Big Stone Gap, Virginia? Big Stone Gap, Virginia has about 5,162 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Big Stone Gap, Virginia? The typical household in Big Stone Gap, Virginia earns about $54,581 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Big Stone Gap, Virginia expensive? In Big Stone Gap, Virginia, the median home is worth about $163,000, and the typical rent is about $797 a month.
How educated are people in Big Stone Gap, Virginia? About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Big Stone Gap, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Big Stone Gap, Virginia? About 26.2% of people in Big Stone Gap, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Big Stone Gap, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Big Stone Gap, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 414 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.
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