United States › Virginia › Lee County COUNTY
Lee County Virginia · 21,642 residents (2025 est.) · 435 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 21,900 people, Lee County is a county in Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 14% of adults. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 55%. The median age is 45.5, about 7 years above the US median. The poverty rate is 28.8%, above the 12.5% national rate. The typical home is worth $98,900, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% 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 23,589 in 2000
21,642 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 57 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
22K 23K 24K 25K 26K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lee County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $41,827
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,972 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,625 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.426 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.3%
Education & health services 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$98,900
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$738
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $341 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.4% in 2000
27.0% rent
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 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 98.1%(23,132)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(120)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.6%(20,057)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(525)
from 10 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 70 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
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 60.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 46.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 25.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.7%(3,449)
Women 15+
Never married 18.9%(1,654)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 31.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 30.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 31.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 47.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.2% 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) 30.2%(450)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.7%(293)
Share of the 1,489 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Lee County Head to head
Compare Lee County to nearby counties LEE COUNTY VS
Harlan County
Income $41,693 same
Home value $73,700 −25%
Population 24,725 +14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income $34,960 −16%
Home value $134,500 +36%
Population 7,075 −67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Hawkins County
Income $56,936 +36%
Home value $176,300 +78%
Population 59,559 +175%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Scott County
Income $46,349 +11%
Home value $143,000 +45%
Population 21,200 −2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lee County, Virginia? Lee County, Virginia has about 21,900 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lee County, Virginia? The typical household in Lee County, Virginia earns about $41,827 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lee County, Virginia expensive? In Lee County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $98,900, and the typical rent is about $738 a month.
How educated are people in Lee County, Virginia? About 14.1% of adults age 25 and over in Lee County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lee County, Virginia? About 28.8% of people in Lee County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lee County, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Lee County, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,596 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 