United States › Virginia › Smyth County COUNTY
Smyth County Virginia · 28,882 residents (2025 est.) · 451 sq mi
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The short version
Smyth County is a county of 29,420 people in Virginia. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 46.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 46% less than in Virginia as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $139,600. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% 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 33,081 in 2000
28,882 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 71 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K 30K 31K 32K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Smyth County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,883
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,083 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,105 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.462 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Transportation & warehousing 2.6%
Public administration 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Education & health services 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
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$139,600
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$731
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $353 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.1% in 2000
29.0% rent
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 96.4%(31,880)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(283)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.4%(27,471)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(629)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 31 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 10.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.9%(3,667)
Women 15+
Never married 22.6%(2,849)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.5% 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) 23.8%(391)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.5%(320)
Share of the 1,640 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 Smyth County Head to head
Compare Smyth County to nearby counties SMYTH COUNTY VS
Tazewell County
Income $47,313 −5%
Home value $118,300 −15%
Population 38,635 +34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SMYTH COUNTY VS
Grayson County
Income $47,730 −4%
Home value $150,100 +8%
Population 15,230 −47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SMYTH COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income $64,552 +29%
Home value $214,000 +53%
Population 53,898 +87%
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SMYTH COUNTY VS
Wythe County
Income $57,745 +16%
Home value $171,200 +23%
Population 27,983 −3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Smyth County, Virginia? Smyth County, Virginia has about 29,420 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Smyth County, Virginia? The typical household in Smyth County, Virginia earns about $49,883 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Smyth County, Virginia expensive? In Smyth County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $139,600, and the typical rent is about $731 a month.
How educated are people in Smyth County, Virginia? About 16.8% of adults age 25 and over in Smyth County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Smyth County, Virginia? About 16.8% of people in Smyth County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Smyth County, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Smyth County, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,950 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.
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