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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Roanoke Metro

Roanoke, VA · 6 counties · 268,398 residents · 1,868 sq mi
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The short version

Roanoke is a metro area of 268,398 people. The median age is 36.2, about 3 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $65,992. Owners hold 70% of the housing stock. About 17% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Poverty is uncommon here, at 9.8% of residents.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 36.2
US median: 33.0
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
268,398
−7%vs 2000
vs 288,309 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
144 / sq mi
−7%vs 2000
vs 154 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
36.2
−8%vs 2000
vs 39.4 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
1,868 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
264K278K292K306K320K19902000201020202024Roanoke
2024315K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.1%(16,492)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.2%(16,758)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146%(16,025)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.9%(18,458)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(18,088)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.1%(43,104)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.9%(42,575)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.3%(30,390)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.9%(26,644)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.6%(22,980)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.7%(12,633)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.6%(4,251)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$28,960
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $39,704 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,916
−34%vs 2000
vs $21,006 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
9.8%
+0.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 9.5% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$65,992
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $100,459 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$357
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $488 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
70.5%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 71.3% in 2000
29.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic84.4%(243,264)
Black12.1%(34,988)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(3,269)
Asian1%(3,011)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic87.2%(234,073)
Black11.8%(31,740)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(1,351)
Asian0.7%(1,871)
Other0.3%(714)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(5,663)
Central American1.4%(4,489)
Honduran1.5%(3,233)
Puerto Rican0.7%(2,327)
South American0.5%(1,457)
Cuban0.3%(954)
Colombian0.3%(891)
Salvadoran0.3%(822)
Dominican0.2%(614)
Spaniard0.1%(337)
Costa Rican0.1%(214)
Ecuadorian0.1%(134)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Guatemalan0.1%(126)
Bolivian0.1%(103)
Panamanian0.1%(94)
Peruvian0%(92)
Argentine0%(60)
Chilean0%(40)
Paraguayan0.1%(39)
Uruguayan0%(22)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.8%(2,068)
Vietnamese0.3%(1,054)
Chinese0.3%(1,012)
Kazakh0.8%(827)
Filipino0.2%(734)
Nepalese0.4%(702)
Korean0.1%(376)
Cambodian0.1%(285)
Japanese0.1%(205)
Thai0.1%(93)
Taiwanese0%(46)
Pakistani0%(40)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(101)
Chamorro0%(68)
Ancestry
English15.3%(48,154)
German10.9%(34,395)
American10.6%(33,455)
Irish9.3%(29,194)
Italian2.4%(7,665)
Scottish2.3%(7,276)
Scotch-Irish1.8%(5,631)
Polish1.4%(4,328)
French1.2%(3,796)
Dutch0.8%(2,613)
Arab0.6%(1,951)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.5%(1,639)
Welsh0.5%(1,551)
Swedish0.5%(1,447)
British0.4%(1,321)
West Indian0.3%(921)
Nigerian0.2%(731)
Danish0.2%(719)
Russian0.2%(700)
Hungarian0.2%(647)
Lebanese0.2%(631)
Greek0.2%(619)
Swiss0.2%(542)
Iraqi0.2%(475)
Haitian0.2%(466)
Slovak0.1%(454)
Romanian0.1%(425)
Czech0.1%(380)
Austrian0.1%(361)
Lithuanian0.1%(344)
Canadian0.1%(341)
Egyptian0.1%(301)
Ukrainian0.1%(294)
Jamaican0.1%(233)
Finnish0.1%(201)
Belgian0.1%(167)
Portuguese0.1%(158)
Turkish0.1%(143)
Ghanaian0.1%(111)
Somali0.1%(110)
Armenian0%(108)
Iranian0.1%(105)
Latvian0%(95)
Serbian0%(95)
Croatian0%(92)
Israeli0%(75)
Slovene0%(64)
Ethiopian0%(55)
Brazilian0%(54)
Bulgarian0%(52)
Kenyan0%(44)
Jordanian0%(22)
Syrian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.8%
−4.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 21.0% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
71.4%
−8.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 79.4% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.5%
−1.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.1% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.3 min
+31%vs 2000
vs 14.0 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 married33.9%(42,613)
Married50.9%(64,015)
Widowed3.9%(4,876)
Divorced11.4%(14,337)
Women 15+
Never married29.4%(40,216)
Married46.4%(63,542)
Widowed11.8%(16,201)
Divorced12.4%(17,007)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
6.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.8%
−3.5 ptssince 2020
from 58.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
23.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.8%
+6.1 ptssince 2020
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.4%
−4.1 ptssince 2020
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.5%
+6.3 ptssince 2020
from 36.2% 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)22.6%(4,393)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.9%(5,240)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.9%(6,596)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.9%(960)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(282)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 19,463 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

RoanokeCENTRAL99,111Salem25,816Cave Spring25,742Hollins17,097Vinton7,967Rocky Mount4,973Daleville3,797North Shore3,638Cloverdale3,208Blue Ridge2,800Westlake Corner2,033Ferrum1,774Laymantown1,626Union Hall1,445Penhook1,250Buchanan1,212Glenvar829Fincastle825Henry Fork805Troutville468Boones Mill258New Castle120Eagle Rock67Glen Wilton66
What's inside

6 component counties

RoanokeCENTRAL99,111Roanoke CountyCENTRAL97,150Franklin County55,526Botetourt CountyCENTRAL34,144SalemCENTRAL25,816Craig County4,800
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Roanoke

Clarksville
Pop 349,001
Rockford
Pop 337,242
South Bend
Pop 324,538
Utica
Pop 285,611
Places similar to Roanoke
Head to head

Compare Roanoke side by side

ROANOKE VS
Clarksville
Income$70,081+142%
Home value$250,970+280%
Population349,001+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROANOKE VS
Rockford
Income$68,800+138%
Home value$172,788+162%
Population337,242+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROANOKE VS
South Bend
Income$67,435+133%
Home value$196,800+198%
Population324,538+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROANOKE VS
Utica
Income$69,815+141%
Home value$175,381+166%
Population285,611−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Roanoke, VA?

Roanoke, VA has about 268,398 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Roanoke, VA?

The typical household in Roanoke, VA earns about $28,960 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Roanoke, VA expensive?

In Roanoke, VA, the median home is worth about $65,992, and the typical rent is about $357 a month.

How educated are people in Roanoke, VA?

About 16.8% of adults age 25 and over in Roanoke, VA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Roanoke, VA?

About 9.8% of people in Roanoke, VA live below the federal poverty line.

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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 →