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COUNTY

Northumberland County

Virginia · 12,557 residents (2025 est.) · 191 sq mi
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The short version

Northumberland County is a county of 12,188 people in Virginia. At a median age of 59.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 86% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 29% less than in Virginia as a whole. The foreign-born share is 5%. There are 64 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 59.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
12,188
−1%since 2000
from 12,259 in 2000
12,557 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
64 / sq mi
−5%since 2009
from 67 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
59.5
+19%since 2000
from 50.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
191 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K11K12K12K13K19902000201020202024Northumberland County
202412K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54%(491)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 92%(246)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.9%(592)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.8%(580)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.4%(539)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 346.2%(751)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.3%(1,138)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 548%(972)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6418.4%(2,243)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7420.5%(2,498)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8413.4%(1,631)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over4.2%(507)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$66,480
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,129 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$45,438
+98%since 2000
from $22,917 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
44.0%
+14.2 ptssince 2009
from 29.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.472
+14%since 2010
from 0.414 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade9.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Information7.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services7.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade5.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration5.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance3.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Professional, scientific, technical2.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$346,800
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $117,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,038
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $478 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
86.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2000
from 87.4% in 2000
13.9% rent
Vacancy rate
37.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 37.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.16 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.25 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.6%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
26.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 27.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.2
+12%since 2009
from 4.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
36
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic71.8%(8,804)
Black26.4%(3,234)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(114)
Asian0.2%(24)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic68.3%(8,327)
Black19.1%(2,326)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(432)
Asian4.4%(533)
Other4.7%(570)
Diversity Score
61
+20%since 2009
from 51 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
26
−5%since 2020
from 27 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.9%(114)
Colombian0.4%(48)
Cuban0.1%(14)
Asian origin
Filipino2.3%(283)
Vietnamese1.1%(130)
Asian Indian0.6%(72)
Chinese0.3%(34)
Japanese0.1%(14)
Ancestry
American22.2%(2,710)
English18%(2,196)
Irish9.1%(1,111)
German8.9%(1,086)
Scottish2.9%(353)
Italian2.6%(317)
Polish1.1%(134)
Welsh0.8%(99)
French0.8%(94)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(66)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.5%(57)
Armenian0.4%(43)
Swiss0.3%(39)
Ukrainian0.3%(38)
Czech0.3%(34)
Slovak0.3%(31)
Dutch0.2%(28)
Croatian0.2%(25)
Swedish0.2%(23)
British0.2%(21)
West Indian0.2%(19)
Jamaican0.2%(19)
Arab0.1%(14)
Lebanese0.1%(14)
Nigerian0.1%(14)
Portuguese0.1%(12)
Canadian0.1%(10)
Danish0.1%(8)
Slovene0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
33.6%
+11.9 ptssince 2000
from 21.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.5%
+13.5 ptssince 2000
from 75.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.8%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
32.8 min
+71%since 2000
from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
68.6%
−11.8 ptssince 2009
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
14.1%
+5.7 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
15.2%
+7.6 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 5.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
42.5%
−10.8 ptssince 2011
from 53.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 67.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
19.6%
+9.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.9%
+10.9 ptssince 2009
from 31.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
52.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.6%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.2%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2012
from 15.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.6%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
81.1%
+11.3 ptssince 2017
from 69.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
89.3%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.7%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
94.1%
−3.5 ptssince 2016
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2016
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.2%(1,576)
Married55.9%(2,913)
Widowed6.2%(324)
Divorced7.7%(401)
Women 15+
Never married19.8%(1,118)
Married53.2%(3,001)
Widowed15.3%(863)
Divorced11.7%(663)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.6%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
48.2%
−4.1 ptssince 2020
from 52.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
24.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2020
from 29.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
38.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 39.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 72.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
51.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 49.5% 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)19.6%(226)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.5%(237)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era55.4%(641)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.3%(107)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,156 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 Northumberland County

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Pop 12,206
Heard County
Pop 12,149
Cass County
Pop 12,463
Owyhee County
Pop 12,661
Places similar to Northumberland County
Head to head

Compare Northumberland County to nearby counties

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY VS
Lancaster County
Income$69,713+5%
Home value$327,000−6%
Population10,995−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY VS
Middlesex County
Income$75,060+13%
Home value$352,200+2%
Population10,841−14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY VS
Richmond County
Income$66,304same
Home value$231,500−33%
Population9,294−26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY VS
St. Mary's County
Income$119,446+80%
Home value$407,600+18%
Population116,692+829%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Northumberland County, Virginia?

Northumberland County, Virginia has about 12,188 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Northumberland County, Virginia?

The typical household in Northumberland County, Virginia earns about $66,480 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Northumberland County, Virginia expensive?

In Northumberland County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $346,800, and the typical rent is about $1,038 a month.

How educated are people in Northumberland County, Virginia?

About 33.6% of adults age 25 and over in Northumberland County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Northumberland County, Virginia?

About 11.5% of people in Northumberland County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Northumberland County, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Northumberland County, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,664 residents, a change of about 16 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 →