CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Petersburg

Virginia · 33,458 residents · 22.72 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Richmond metro area
Compare
The short version

Petersburg has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $43,029. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $111,800. The poverty rate of 22.6% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 44% less than the Virginia median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% 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

Total population
33,458
−1%since 2000
from 33,740 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
39.6
+7%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
31K33K35K37K39K1990201020202024Petersburg
202434K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.9%(1,971)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.4%(1,815)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.2%(1,725)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 194.7%(1,575)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247%(2,357)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.2%(5,421)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.2%(3,746)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.9%(3,983)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.7%(4,932)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.8%(3,603)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845%(1,687)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(643)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,029
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,851 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,789
+55%since 2000
from $15,989 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
21.5%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
22.6%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade12.5%
US avg: 10%
Information11.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance7.1%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical6.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade5.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$111,800
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$958
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $495 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
36.1%
−15.4 ptssince 2000
from 51.5% in 2000
63.9% rent
Afford Score
2.6
−15%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Petersburg on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic18.2%(6,131)
Black78.6%(26,511)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(463)
Asian0.7%(234)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic15.5%(5,178)
Black73.3%(24,530)
Hispanic / Latino5.9%(1,970)
Asian1%(330)
Other2.9%(955)
Segregation Score
33
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
Mexican2.5%(755)
Puerto Rican1.6%(483)
Panamanian0.4%(110)
Salvadoran0.2%(58)
Honduran0.1%(27)
Dominican0%(10)
Asian origin
Korean0.3%(107)
Asian Indian0.2%(53)
Vietnamese0.1%(45)
Laotian0.1%(33)
Filipino0.1%(29)
Indonesian0.1%(19)
Thai0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(14)
Ancestry
American3.8%(1,180)
English2.7%(827)
German2%(602)
Irish1.8%(544)
Italian1.2%(358)
Polish0.7%(227)
Greek0.7%(215)
West Indian0.6%(181)
British0.6%(177)
French0.5%(148)
Portuguese0.4%(109)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.3%(91)
Scottish0.3%(80)
Swedish0.2%(76)
Nigerian0.2%(73)
Haitian0.2%(67)
Brazilian0.2%(66)
Norwegian0.2%(66)
Russian0.2%(59)
Dutch0.2%(48)
Swiss0.2%(48)
Czech0.2%(47)
Canadian0.1%(45)
Jamaican0.1%(42)
Slovak0.1%(16)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest Subsaharan African population · Largest English population · Largest Mexican population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.3%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 14.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
83.3%
+14.7 ptssince 2000
from 68.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
7.5%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.4 min
+66%since 2000
from 14.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
74.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
17.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
12.6%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 14.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
62.2%
+3.8 ptssince 2011
from 58.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
28.8%
−33.7 ptssince 2009
from 62.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
45.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 45.6% in 2009
Female
54.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 54.4% in 2009
Foreign born
3.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
12.3%
−66.9 ptssince 2013
from 79.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married50.9%(5,904)
Married32.5%(3,773)
Widowed3.5%(402)
Divorced13.2%(1,530)
Women 15+
Never married49.8%(7,406)
Married24.9%(3,703)
Widowed9.5%(1,412)
Divorced15.7%(2,340)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Petersburg

Chambers County
Pop 34,253
Pike County
Pop 33,688
Franklin County
Pop 32,449
Wayne County
Pop 32,481
Places similar to Petersburg
Head to head

Compare Petersburg to nearby counties

PETERSBURG VS
Colonial Heights
Income$76,505+78%
Home value$246,600+121%
Population18,738−44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PETERSBURG VS
Hopewell
Income$54,729+27%
Home value$181,600+62%
Population23,261−31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PETERSBURG VS
Prince George County
Income$84,897+97%
Home value$293,400+162%
Population43,936+30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PETERSBURG VS
Chesterfield County
Income$101,931+137%
Home value$366,000+227%
Population397,148+1077%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Petersburg, Virginia?

Petersburg, Virginia has about 33,458 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Petersburg, Virginia?

The typical household in Petersburg, Virginia earns about $43,029 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Petersburg, Virginia expensive?

In Petersburg, Virginia, the median home is worth about $111,800, and the typical rent is about $958 a month.

How educated are people in Petersburg, Virginia?

About 20.3% of adults age 25 and over in Petersburg, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Petersburg, Virginia?

About 22.6% of people in Petersburg, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Petersburg, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Petersburg, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,928 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

11 census tracts
Census Tract 8110Census Tract 8105Census Tract 8112Census Tract 8111Census Tract 8109Census Tract 8113Census Tract 8104Census Tract 8103Census Tract 8106Census Tract 8107Census Tract 8101
Up the hierarchy
All counties in Virginia
Rankings
Highest income countiesLowest poverty counties

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →