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CITY

Roanoke

Virginia · 99,111 residents (2025 est.) · 42.521 sq mi
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The short version

Roanoke has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $55,378. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $190,500. Households here earn about 41% less than the Virginia median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
98,355
+4%since 2000
from 94,911 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,313 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 2,194 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.3
+2%since 2000
from 37.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:99,111 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
93K95K97K99K101K1990201020202024Roanoke
202498K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.5%(6,357)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(5,820)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(6,418)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.7%(5,573)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(5,400)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415%(14,759)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413%(12,779)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.8%(11,606)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.4%(12,177)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.6%(10,410)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.6%(4,550)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(2,506)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,378
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,719 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,576
+98%since 2000
from $18,468 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.0%
+19.0 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.3%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.508
+11%since 2010
from 0.459 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration5.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance5.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$190,500
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$996
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $448 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
52.4%
−3.8 ptssince 2000
from 56.3% in 2000
47.6% rent
Vacancy rate
11.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
23.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
41.9%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 45.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.4
+2%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Roanoke on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic68.8%(65,256)
Black26.6%(25,220)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(1,405)
Asian1.1%(1,088)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic55.3%(54,346)
Black27.7%(27,236)
Hispanic / Latino9%(8,823)
Asian3.1%(3,082)
Other4.9%(4,868)
Diversity Score
76
+28%since 2009
from 59 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Central American3.6%(3,586)
Honduran2.9%(2,858)
Mexican2.4%(2,316)
Puerto Rican0.8%(809)
Colombian0.6%(567)
Cuban0.6%(543)
Salvadoran0.5%(471)
Dominican0.4%(416)
Costa Rican0.1%(104)
Panamanian0.1%(94)
Guatemalan0.1%(59)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.1%(55)
Chilean0%(40)
Peruvian0%(24)
Argentine0%(14)
Spaniard0%(12)
Asian origin
Kazakh0.8%(827)
Nepalese0.5%(528)
Asian Indian0.4%(440)
Vietnamese0.3%(320)
Filipino0.2%(229)
Korean0.2%(183)
Cambodian0.1%(143)
Japanese0.1%(132)
Chinese0.1%(86)
Bhutanese0%(29)
Pakistani0%(26)
Hmong0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English11.7%(11,463)
Irish8.4%(8,304)
American8.3%(8,177)
German8%(7,908)
Italian2.3%(2,261)
Scottish2.2%(2,121)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(1,156)
Polish1.1%(1,108)
Arab1.1%(1,054)
Dutch1%(978)
French0.9%(926)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Nigerian0.6%(577)
Iraqi0.4%(421)
British0.4%(391)
West Indian0.4%(379)
Swedish0.3%(326)
Welsh0.3%(300)
Norwegian0.3%(290)
Russian0.3%(287)
Romanian0.3%(258)
Austrian0.2%(232)
Haitian0.2%(217)
Danish0.2%(179)
Lebanese0.2%(163)
Hungarian0.2%(158)
Greek0.1%(146)
Czech0.1%(110)
Somali0.1%(110)
Lithuanian0.1%(95)
Slovak0.1%(94)
Jamaican0.1%(85)
Canadian0.1%(82)
Egyptian0.1%(80)
Ghanaian0.1%(73)
Swiss0.1%(71)
Finnish0.1%(50)
Ethiopian0%(40)
Croatian0%(33)
Ukrainian0%(32)
Turkish0%(29)
Latvian0%(25)
Armenian0%(24)
Brazilian0%(23)
Jordanian0%(22)
Belgian0%(15)
Serbian0%(11)
Israeli0%(9)
Syrian0%(8)
Slovene0%(8)
Kenyan0%(6)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Subsaharan African population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.0%
+11.3 ptssince 2000
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.7%
+13.7 ptssince 2000
from 76.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.5%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.0 min
+61%since 2000
from 11.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
74.9%
−6.3 ptssince 2009
from 81.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.0%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.8%
+9.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
11.0%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 63.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.6%
−25.6 ptssince 2009
from 63.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 46.8% in 2009
Female
53.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 53.2% in 2009
Foreign born
8.0%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.3%
−38.2 ptssince 2009
from 45.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.6%
−2.1 ptssince 2012
from 16.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.8%
−73.2 ptssince 2013
from 83.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.7%
+15.9 ptssince 2017
from 69.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
89.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2016
from 90.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2016
from 4.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married44.6%(16,635)
Married39%(14,526)
Widowed3.5%(1,311)
Divorced12.9%(4,790)
Women 15+
Never married38.9%(16,550)
Married34.9%(14,830)
Widowed11.9%(5,044)
Divorced14.3%(6,074)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Roanoke, Virginia?

Roanoke, Virginia has about 98,355 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Roanoke, Virginia?

The typical household in Roanoke, Virginia earns about $55,378 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Roanoke, Virginia expensive?

In Roanoke, Virginia, the median home is worth about $190,500, and the typical rent is about $996 a month.

How educated are people in Roanoke, Virginia?

About 30.0% of adults age 25 and over in Roanoke, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Roanoke, Virginia?

About 18.3% of people in Roanoke, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Roanoke, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Roanoke, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,958 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →