United States › Virginia › South Boston CITY
South Boston Virginia · 7,795 residents (2025 est.) · 13.1 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
South Boston is home to 7,853 people in Virginia. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 53%. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 26.9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 51% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% 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 8,491 in 2000
7,795 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
601 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 603 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 7K 8K 8K 9K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 South Boston Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,052
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,964 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,872 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 20.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.481 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.7%
Public administration 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$171,200
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$760
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $355 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 60.9% in 2000
49.2% rent
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 53.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 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 50%(4,242)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(123)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 41.3%(3,246)
Hispanic / Latino 4.9%(384)
from 66 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
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 64.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 46.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 69.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.4%(1,075)
Women 15+
Never married 32.6%(1,204)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 31.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 50.6% 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) 7.5%(24)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.2%(42)
Share of the 319 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 South Boston Head to head
Compare South Boston to nearby cities SOUTH BOSTON VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in South Boston, Virginia? South Boston, Virginia has about 7,853 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in South Boston, Virginia? The typical household in South Boston, Virginia earns about $44,052 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is South Boston, Virginia expensive? In South Boston, Virginia, the median home is worth about $171,200, and the typical rent is about $760 a month.
How educated are people in South Boston, Virginia? About 21.2% of adults age 25 and over in South Boston, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in South Boston, Virginia? About 26.9% of people in South Boston, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has South Boston, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, South Boston, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 856 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.
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