CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Blacksburg Metro

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA · 5 counties · 165,146 residents · 1,455 sq mi
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The short version

Blacksburg is home to 165,146 people. The median age is 31.3, younger than the US median of 35.2. 19.5% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line. Median home value sits at $89,569. Households take in $32,120 at the median, 25% less than the US figure. Headcount has barely moved since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 31.3
US median: 35.2
Average education
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
165,146
+8%since 1990
from 152,720 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
114 / sq mi
+8%since 1990
from 105 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
31.3
+4%since 1990
from 30.1 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,455 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
150K159K168K177K185K19902000201020202024Blacksburg
2024182K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55%(8,201)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.1%(8,395)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.2%(8,641)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1910.3%(17,031)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2415.7%(25,886)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.5%(22,366)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412.7%(20,995)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.2%(20,195)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.7%(14,445)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.2%(10,159)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844%(6,655)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.3%(2,177)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,120
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,799 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,284
+59%since 1990
from $10,884 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
19.5%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 19.5% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$89,569
+10%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $61,769 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$466
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 1990
from $353 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
62.7%
−0.8 ptssince 1990
from 63.5% in 1990
37.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic93.4%(142,679)
Black4.1%(6,310)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(1,106)
Asian2.1%(3,234)
2000
White, non-Hispanic90.9%(150,195)
Black4.1%(6,754)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(2,133)
Asian2.2%(3,675)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.5%(2,786)
South American0.6%(1,028)
Puerto Rican0.5%(862)
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)
Chilean0%(18)
Uruguayan0%(15)
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)
Kazakh0%(41)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0%(31)
Nepalese0%(28)
Laotian0%(11)
Cambodian0%(10)
Malaysian0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(44)
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)
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)
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)
Belgian0%(41)
Syrian0.1%(37)
Israeli0%(33)
Ethiopian0%(33)
Bulgarian0%(24)
Latvian0.1%(19)
Jordanian0%(13)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.4%
+3.7 ptssince 1990
from 22.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
79.3%
+10.6 ptssince 1990
from 68.6% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
12.8%
+1.9 ptssince 1990
from 10.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.6 min
−20%since 1990
from 18.4 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39%(27,302)
Married51.9%(36,363)
Widowed1.9%(1,315)
Divorced7.2%(5,038)
Women 15+
Never married30.4%(21,185)
Married51.2%(35,729)
Widowed10.3%(7,174)
Divorced8.1%(5,648)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.3%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 11.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
62.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 61.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2020
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
13.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 11.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.6%(1,985)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.5%(2,700)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.7%(220)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(38)
US avg: 1%

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
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

Montgomery CountyCENTRAL98,434Pulaski County33,586RadfordCENTRAL17,243Giles County16,564Floyd County15,789
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 Blacksburg
Head to head

Compare Blacksburg side by side

BLACKSBURG VS
Abilene
Income$66,693+108%
Home value$182,918+104%
Population185,429+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Burlington
Income$65,651+104%
Home value$241,500+170%
Population186,177+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Muskegon
Income$65,024+102%
Home value$198,300+121%
Population177,901−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Decatur
Income$68,260+113%
Home value$203,625+127%
Population160,326−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has about 165,146 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?

The typical household in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA earns about $32,120 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 $89,569, and the typical rent is about $466 a month.

How educated are people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?

About 26.4% 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 19.5% 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 12,426 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →