United States › Virginia › Amherst County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Amherst County Virginia · 31,307 residents · 474 sq mi
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The short version
Amherst County is home to 31,307 people in Virginia. The median age is 44.8, about 6 years above the US median. About 21% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 25%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K 29K 30K 32K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Amherst County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $57,368
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,393 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $16,952 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Public administration 3.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Education & health services 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
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$159,900
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$700
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $427 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 78.1% in 2000
24.4% rent
2.53 people
+10%since 2009
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 3.0 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 77.3%(24,645)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 73.4%(22,967)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(838)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 70.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 81.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 62.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 29.2%(3,606)
Women 15+
Never married 27.7%(3,850)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.8%(365)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.4%(495)
Share of the 2,310 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 Amherst County Head to head
Compare Amherst County to nearby counties AMHERST COUNTY VS
Buena Vista
Income $57,833 +1%
Home value $156,200 −2%
Population 6,672 −79%
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AMHERST COUNTY VS
Lynchburg
Income $57,947 +1%
Home value $229,800 +44%
Population 81,347 +155%
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AMHERST COUNTY VS
Nelson County
Income $72,589 +27%
Home value $321,700 +101%
Population 14,920 −53%
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AMHERST COUNTY VS
Lexington
Income $84,517 +47%
Home value $275,200 +72%
Population 7,769 −76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Amherst County, Virginia? Amherst County, Virginia has about 31,307 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Amherst County, Virginia? The typical household in Amherst County, Virginia earns about $57,368 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Amherst County, Virginia expensive? In Amherst County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $159,900, and the typical rent is about $700 a month.
How educated are people in Amherst County, Virginia? About 21.3% of adults age 25 and over in Amherst County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Amherst County, Virginia? About 10.9% of people in Amherst County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Amherst County, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Amherst County, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,729 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.
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