COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Smyth County

Virginia · 32,370 residents · 451 sq mi

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The short version

Smyth County is a county of 32,370 people in Virginia. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. Households here earn about 37% less than in Virginia as a whole. Median home value sits at $43,200. 74% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 36.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.6

US median: 33.0

Less educated

8% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 9%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

32,370

−2%vs 2000

vs 33,081 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

36.6

−9%vs 2000

vs 40.0 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

451 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202429K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.8%(1,872)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95.9%(1,920)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.6%(2,139)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.7%(2,508)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.8%(2,215)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.9%(4,819)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.4%(4,666)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.7%(3,801)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.9%(3,533)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.9%(2,874)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845%(1,613)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.3%(410)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$20,912

−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $30,083 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,613

−40%vs 2000

vs $16,105 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

16.7%

+3.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$43,200

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $62,600 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$266

−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $353 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

74.3%

+0.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 74.1% in 2000

25.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic96.4%(31,880)

Black1.8%(607)

Hispanic / Latino0.9%(283)

Asian0.2%(61)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.7%(31,630)

Black1.9%(624)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(67)

Asian0.2%(80)

Other0.1%(36)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.6%(475)

Puerto Rican0.2%(69)

Central American0.1%(23)

South American0.1%(15)

Nicaraguan0%(13)

Colombian0%(12)

Honduran0%(10)

Cuban0%(8)

Dominican0%(7)

Peruvian0%(3)

Asian origin

Taiwanese0.1%(18)

Asian Indian0%(5)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(12)

Chamorro0%(10)

Ancestry

American27.2%(8,015)

English13.4%(3,937)

German8.4%(2,459)

Irish8%(2,347)

Scotch-Irish2.2%(648)

Scottish1.8%(524)

Italian1.2%(358)

Polish0.9%(264)

Welsh0.8%(221)

French0.6%(163)

Dutch0.3%(99)

Subsaharan African0.3%(85)

+ 20 more ancestry groups with data

Russian0.3%(78)

British0.3%(75)

Norwegian0.2%(52)

Swiss0.1%(43)

Portuguese0.1%(42)

Turkish0.1%(41)

Brazilian0.1%(38)

Swedish0.1%(26)

West Indian0.1%(25)

Belgian0.1%(17)

Canadian0%(14)

Hungarian0%(10)

Danish0%(9)

Lithuanian0%(8)

Arab0%(7)

Lebanese0%(7)

French Canadian0%(7)

Ukrainian0%(7)

Jamaican0%(7)

Haitian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Scotch-Irish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

7.8%

−2.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

53.3%

−14.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 67.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.7%

−0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

17.9 min

+19%vs 2000

vs 15.1 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married29.9%(3,667)

Married50.9%(6,239)

Widowed4.8%(591)

Divorced14.3%(1,755)

Women 15+

Never married22.6%(2,849)

Married49.5%(6,228)

Widowed15.2%(1,914)

Divorced12.7%(1,593)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

5.5%

−7.9 ptssince 2013

from 13.4% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

44.3%

−1.1 ptssince 2020

from 45.4% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

12.8%

−1.2 ptssince 2020

from 14.0% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

27.8%

−0.8 ptssince 2020

from 28.6% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

27.3%

+4.1 ptssince 2020

from 23.2% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.5%

−0.2 ptssince 2020

from 3.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

56.9%

−2.1 ptssince 2020

from 59.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

51.5%

+4.0 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)19.5%(320)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era36.2%(593)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War5.6%(92)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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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