United States › Virginia › Radford CITY
Radford Virginia · 17,243 residents (2025 est.) · 9.68 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
Radford is a city of 16,726 people in Virginia. The median age is 23.3, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 42% of the housing stock. 28.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. People stay put here: 73% were in the same home a year ago. Households here earn about 38% less than in Virginia as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 23.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 15,859 in 2000
17,243 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,729 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,660 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 22.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 16K 17K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Radford Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,348
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,654 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,289 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 31.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.483 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Public administration 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
Education & health services 0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$220,700
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $93,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,033
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $437 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 44.6% in 2000
57.7% rent
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.46 people
+10%since 2009
from 2.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 64.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.8 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 87.6%(13,900)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(184)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 80.9%(13,535)
Hispanic / Latino 4.4%(731)
from 32 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 34.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 75.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 76.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 66.4%(4,415)
Women 15+
Never married 61.4%(5,132)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 23.4% 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) 25.4%(123)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.7%(115)
Share of the 485 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 Radford Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Radford, Virginia? Radford, Virginia has about 16,726 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Radford, Virginia? The typical household in Radford, Virginia earns about $57,348 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Radford, Virginia expensive? In Radford, Virginia, the median home is worth about $220,700, and the typical rent is about $1,033 a month.
How educated are people in Radford, Virginia? About 37.9% of adults age 25 and over in Radford, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Radford, Virginia? About 28.7% of people in Radford, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Radford, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Radford, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 786 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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