United States › Virginia › Emporia city COUNTY
Emporia Virginia · 5,447 residents (2025 est.) · 6.90 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
With 5,547 people, Emporia is a county in Virginia. 38% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. Households here earn about 44% less than in Virginia as a whole. The typical home is worth $148,500, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,665 in 2000
5,447 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 812 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Emporia Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,899
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,333 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,377 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.491 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 11.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing 0.2%
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$148,500
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,037
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $437 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 52.2% in 2000
61.9% rent
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.48 people
+11%since 2009
from 2.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 41.3%(2,342)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(84)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 18.3%(1,017)
Hispanic / Latino 7.9%(436)
from 62 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 54 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 58.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 84.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 38.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 50.5% 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) 12.1%(39)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.9%(51)
Share of the 321 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 Emporia Head to head
Compare Emporia to nearby counties EMPORIA VS
Greensville County
Income $54,668 +5%
Home value $159,400 +7%
Population 11,181 +105%
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EMPORIA VS
Brunswick County
Income $53,084 +2%
Home value $142,700 −4%
Population 15,727 +189%
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EMPORIA VS
Northampton County
Income $50,086 −3%
Home value $114,500 −23%
Population 16,491 +203%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EMPORIA VS
Sussex County
Income $63,530 +22%
Home value $183,800 +24%
Population 10,755 +97%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Emporia, Virginia? Emporia, Virginia has about 5,547 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Emporia, Virginia? The typical household in Emporia, Virginia earns about $51,899 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Emporia, Virginia expensive? In Emporia, Virginia, the median home is worth about $148,500, and the typical rent is about $1,037 a month.
How educated are people in Emporia, Virginia? About 16.0% of adults age 25 and over in Emporia, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Emporia, Virginia? About 15.8% of people in Emporia, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Emporia, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Emporia, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 241 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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