METRO AREA · 2020 ACS
Blacksburg Metro
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA · 5 counties · 181,854 residents · 1,455 sq mi
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The short version
Blacksburg is home to 181,854 people. The median age is 34.2, younger than the US median of 38.8. 20.6% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line. The foreign-born share is 6%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $196,604. The average commute runs 22 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 34.2
US median: 38.8
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth
Land area
1,455 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024182K
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.5%(8,241)
5 to 94.7%(8,549)
10 to 144.8%(8,753)
15 to 1910.7%(19,435)
20 to 2414.7%(26,801)
25 to 3412.3%(22,283)
35 to 449.8%(17,790)
45 to 5410.9%(19,878)
55 to 6411.3%(20,493)
65 to 749.6%(17,477)
75 to 845%(9,037)
85 and over1.7%(3,117)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$55,105
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,120 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
35.0%
+13.1 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade13.1%
Information10.7%
Wholesale trade5.4%
Other services3.3%
Finance & insurance3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical2.3%
Public administration2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
Construction0.9%
Education & health services0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$196,604
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,569 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
3.6
−3%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic82.2%(149,427)
Black4.6%(8,284)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(6,851)
Asian4.8%(8,812)
Other2.3%(4,261)
32
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
Mexican1.2%(2,118)
South American0.4%(681)
Puerto Rican0.3%(617)
Central American0.3%(419)
Salvadoran0.1%(211)
Colombian0.1%(207)
Cuban0.1%(186)
Peruvian0.1%(173)
Spaniard0.1%(171)
Argentine0.1%(142)
Guatemalan0.1%(96)
Uruguayan0.1%(90)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.1%(66)
Bolivian0%(37)
Panamanian0%(35)
Dominican0%(32)
Venezuelan0%(14)
Chilean0%(9)
Ecuadorian0%(9)
Costa Rican0%(6)
Nicaraguan0%(5)
Asian origin
Chinese1.6%(2,676)
Asian Indian1.2%(1,598)
Korean0.5%(752)
Vietnamese0.3%(573)
Pakistani0.4%(482)
Filipino0.2%(351)
Japanese0.2%(271)
Taiwanese0.1%(144)
Nepalese0.1%(74)
Hmong0%(49)
Thai0%(32)
Sri Lankan0%(10)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Cambodian0%(8)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(198)
Native Hawaiian0%(53)
Chamorro0.2%(36)
Tongan0.1%(17)
Fijian0.1%(17)
Ancestry
American18.5%(34,182)
German12.2%(22,248)
English9.7%(17,729)
Irish9.4%(17,202)
Italian2.9%(5,274)
Scottish2%(3,738)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(3,533)
Polish1.8%(3,211)
French1.3%(2,399)
Dutch0.9%(1,564)
British0.7%(1,359)
Norwegian0.5%(958)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.5%(942)
Welsh0.5%(870)
Subsaharan African0.4%(720)
Hungarian0.3%(636)
Russian0.3%(578)
Arab0.5%(494)
Greek0.3%(468)
West Indian0.3%(457)
Jamaican0.3%(404)
French Canadian0.2%(390)
Ukrainian0.2%(334)
Czech0.2%(291)
Swiss0.2%(284)
Portuguese0.2%(263)
Austrian0.2%(262)
Egyptian0.2%(247)
Iranian0.2%(244)
Turkish0.2%(244)
Danish0.2%(228)
Slovak0.1%(213)
Finnish0.1%(212)
Canadian0.1%(206)
Lebanese0.1%(188)
Brazilian0.1%(184)
Palestinian0.1%(149)
Lithuanian0.1%(122)
Serbian0.1%(113)
Syrian0.1%(83)
Croatian0.1%(79)
Romanian0%(63)
Belgian0%(57)
Ghanaian0%(50)
Ethiopian0%(49)
Australian0%(41)
Latvian0%(34)
Guyanese0%(30)
Bulgarian0%(27)
Slovene0%(26)
Haitian0%(26)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(15)
Kenyan0.1%(12)
Israeli0.1%(11)
Armenian0.1%(9)
Nigerian0%(6)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
91.9%
+12.6 ptssince 2000
from 79.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.2%
US average: 73.3%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
89.4%
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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
17.1%
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
2.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
76.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
28.8%
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.2%(1,674)
Gulf War (1990s)18.4%(1,688)
Vietnam era38.7%(3,550)
Korean War5.8%(537)
World War II3.7%(343)
Share of the 9,180 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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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+21%
Home value$182,918−7%
Population185,429+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Burlington
Income$65,651+19%
Home value$241,500+23%
Population186,177+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Muskegon
Income$65,024+18%
Home value$198,300+1%
Population177,901−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACKSBURG VS
Decatur
Income$68,260+24%
Home value$203,625+4%
Population160,326−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has about 181,854 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
The typical household in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA earns about $55,105 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 $196,604, and the typical rent is about $896 a month.
How educated are people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
About 36.1% 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 20.6% 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 29,134 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024