United States › Virginia › Russell County COUNTY
Russell County Virginia · 25,332 residents (2025 est.) · 474 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 25,538 people, Russell County is a county in Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The median age is 46.7, about 8 years above the US median. Households here earn about 46% less than in Virginia as a whole. The typical home is worth $120,600, having more than doubled since 2000. 1% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% 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 30,308 in 2000
25,332 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 61 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K 26K 28K 29K 31K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Russell County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $50,012
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,834 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,863 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.428 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.2%
Public administration 2.3%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$120,600
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$653
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $355 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 81.1% in 2000
23.7% rent
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 35.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 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 95.6%(28,981)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(237)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 96.6%(24,673)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(180)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 48 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
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 50.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 52.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 27.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 76.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.5%(2,610)
Women 15+
Never married 18.7%(2,052)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 30.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 58.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.3% 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%(128)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.6%(165)
Share of the 1,059 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 Russell County Head to head
Compare Russell County to nearby counties RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income $64,552 +29%
Home value $214,000 +77%
Population 53,898 +113%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Dickenson County
Income $47,254 −6%
Home value $102,700 −15%
Population 13,236 −48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Bristol
Income $50,404 +1%
Home value $184,100 +53%
Population 16,418 −35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Buchanan County
Income $42,886 −14%
Home value $94,900 −21%
Population 18,492 −27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Russell County, Virginia? Russell County, Virginia has about 25,538 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Russell County, Virginia? The typical household in Russell County, Virginia earns about $50,012 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Russell County, Virginia expensive? In Russell County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $120,600, and the typical rent is about $653 a month.
How educated are people in Russell County, Virginia? About 13.1% of adults age 25 and over in Russell County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Russell County, Virginia? About 16.7% of people in Russell County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Russell County, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Russell County, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,129 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
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