METRO AREA
Blacksburg Metro
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA · 5 counties · 181,616 residents (2025 est.) · 1,455 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
The short version
Blacksburg is a metro area of 181,664 people. The median age is 35.6, younger than the US median of 38.9. 20.1% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line. The foreign-born share is 6%. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $255,151. The average commute runs 21 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $67,775, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 56%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Blacksburg
What changed most since 1990
- White share92.9% → 84.6% (−8.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
- Hispanic share0.7% → 3.8% (+3.0 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Among the 12 metro and micro areas based in Virginia
- 9th in household income$67,775
- 3rd in share with a bachelor's degree37.7%
- 8th in home value$255,151
- 12th in diversity score34.3
Section 01
Population & growth
181,664
+10%since 2000
from 165,146 in 2000
181,616 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,455 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024182K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54%(7,263)
5 to 94.4%(8,043)
10 to 144.8%(8,662)
15 to 1910.9%(19,717)
20 to 2413.8%(25,153)
25 to 3412.1%(21,907)
35 to 4410.5%(19,164)
45 to 5411.1%(20,098)
55 to 6411.6%(20,999)
65 to 7410%(18,171)
75 to 845.4%(9,812)
85 and over1.5%(2,675)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$67,775
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,120 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
44.8%
+23.0 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.7%
Information11.3%
Wholesale trade5.3%
Other services4.1%
Finance & insurance3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
Public administration2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
Construction0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.8%
Education & health services0.3%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$255,151
+56%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,569 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.7
Unchangedsince 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
67
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic90.9%(150,195)
Black4.1%(6,754)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(2,133)
Asian2.2%(3,675)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84.6%(153,663)
Black4.2%(7,687)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(6,842)
Asian3.9%(7,019)
Other3.6%(6,453)
34
+41%since 2009
from 24 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
28
−12%since 2020
from 32 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
Mexican1.5%(2,786)
South American0.6%(1,028)
Puerto Rican0.5%(862)
Central American0.4%(695)
Colombian0.3%(501)
Salvadoran0.2%(222)
Honduran0.2%(209)
Spaniard0.1%(173)
Dominican0.1%(114)
Peruvian0.1%(113)
Cuban0.1%(112)
Bolivian0.1%(100)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Guatemalan0.1%(98)
Argentine0.1%(90)
Ecuadorian0.1%(87)
Nicaraguan0.1%(84)
Costa Rican0.1%(67)
Venezuelan0%(55)
Chilean0%(18)
Panamanian0%(15)
Uruguayan0%(15)
Paraguayan0%(9)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.1%(1,976)
Chinese1.2%(1,947)
Korean0.5%(856)
Vietnamese0.3%(403)
Filipino0.2%(314)
Japanese0.2%(283)
Pakistani0.1%(149)
Taiwanese0.1%(84)
Mongolian0.1%(78)
Thai0.1%(73)
Bangladeshi0%(50)
Kazakh0%(41)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0%(31)
Nepalese0%(28)
Laotian0%(11)
Cambodian0%(10)
Malaysian0%(10)
Sri Lankan0%(9)
Indonesian0%(4)
Ancestry
American18.6%(33,701)
English13.7%(24,803)
German11.5%(20,808)
Irish9.2%(16,789)
Italian3%(5,493)
Scottish2.2%(4,074)
Polish1.7%(3,030)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(2,898)
French1%(1,847)
Arab0.9%(1,617)
Dutch0.7%(1,330)
Welsh0.6%(1,009)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.5%(875)
Russian0.4%(685)
Swedish0.4%(670)
Greek0.4%(639)
Subsaharan African0.4%(588)
British0.3%(558)
Iranian0.3%(437)
Egyptian0.3%(411)
Hungarian0.2%(349)
Ukrainian0.2%(322)
Danish0.2%(298)
West Indian0.2%(294)
Austrian0.1%(271)
Czech0.1%(245)
French Canadian0.2%(243)
Slovak0.2%(227)
Swiss0.1%(218)
Canadian0.1%(212)
Brazilian0.2%(209)
Portuguese0.1%(209)
Romanian0.1%(205)
Jamaican0.1%(187)
Finnish0.1%(185)
Croatian0.1%(180)
Lebanese0.1%(163)
Lithuanian0.1%(133)
Turkish0.1%(123)
Iraqi0.1%(110)
Nigerian0.1%(101)
Ghanaian0.1%(88)
Serbian0.1%(85)
Moroccan0.1%(82)
Haitian0%(67)
Palestinian0%(54)
Belgian0%(41)
Syrian0.1%(37)
Israeli0%(33)
Ethiopian0%(33)
Australian0%(24)
Bulgarian0%(24)
Latvian0.1%(19)
Jordanian0%(13)
Armenian0%(5)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
94.1%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 67.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
93.7%
+4.3 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married46.7%(37,126)
Married42.1%(33,456)
Widowed3.8%(3,021)
Divorced7.4%(5,903)
Women 15+
Never married37.6%(29,401)
Married43.8%(34,278)
Widowed8.2%(6,414)
Divorced10.4%(8,097)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
13.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2020
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 76.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
30.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 28.8% 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)21.8%(1,752)
Gulf War (1990s)24.6%(1,985)
Vietnam era33.5%(2,700)
Korean War2.7%(220)
World War II0.5%(38)
Share of the 8,055 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
Over time
Blacksburg, decade by decade
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Bachelor's degree+ | Diversity score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 152,720 | $54,719 | $148,250 | 22.7% | 16.7 |
| 2000 | 165,146 | $58,512 | $163,164 | 26.4% | 21.3 |
| 2010 | 178,237 | $59,311 | $228,256 | 30.0% | 26.2 |
| 2020 | 181,854 | $66,790 | $238,291 | 36.1% | 39.8 |
| 2024 | 181,664 | $67,775 | $255,151 | 37.7% | 34.3 |
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
In this metro
Largest cities
BlacksburgCENTRAL45,104ChristiansburgCENTRAL22,442RadfordCENTRAL17,243Pulaski8,807Pearisburg2,873Merrimac2,733Dublin2,652Fairlawn2,488Narrows2,036Shawsville1,411Pembroke1,139Plum Creek1,068Riner1,038Belview990Elliston952Prices Fork900Rich Creek738Lafayette628Floyd458Parrott401Draper348Ripplemead294New River268Belspring152Eggleston117Glen Lyn92Snowville77Hiwassee72Allisonia40
What's inside
5 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Blacksburg
Abilene
Pop 185,429
Burlington
Pop 186,177
Muskegon
Pop 177,901
Decatur
Pop 160,326
Places similar to BlacksburgHead to head
Compare Blacksburg side by side
BLACKSBURG VS
Abilene
Income$66,693−2%
Home value$182,918−28%
Population185,429+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Burlington
Income$65,651−3%
Home value$241,500−5%
Population186,177+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Muskegon
Income$65,024−4%
Home value$198,300−22%
Population177,901−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Decatur
Income$68,260+1%
Home value$203,625−20%
Population160,326−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has about 181,664 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
The typical household in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA earns about $67,775 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA expensive?
In Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, the median home is worth about $255,151, and the typical rent is about $1,070 a month.
How educated are people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
About 37.7% of adults age 25 and over in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
About 20.1% of people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grown since 1990?
Yes, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 28,944 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024