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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Roanoke Metro

Roanoke, VA · 6 counties · 288,309 residents · 1,868 sq mi
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The short version

Roanoke is a metro area of 288,309 people. The median age is 39.4, about 4 years above the US median. 71% of homes are owner-occupied. About 21% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $100,459, having risen by half since 1990. The population has held roughly steady since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 39.4
US median: 35.2
Average education
21% 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
288,309
+7%since 1990
from 268,398 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
154 / sq mi
+7%since 1990
from 144 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
39.4
+9%since 1990
from 36.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,868 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
264K278K292K306K320K19902000201020202024Roanoke
2024315K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.7%(16,575)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.5%(18,605)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.6%(19,013)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.2%(17,820)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.3%(15,190)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.8%(36,808)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416%(46,023)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.3%(44,026)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.2%(29,428)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.2%(23,562)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.5%(15,819)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(5,440)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$39,704
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $28,960 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,006
+51%since 1990
from $13,916 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
9.5%
−0.4 ptssince 1990
from 9.8% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$100,459
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $65,992 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$488
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $357 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
71.3%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 70.5% in 1990
28.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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
21.0%
+4.2 ptssince 1990
from 16.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
79.4%
+8.0 ptssince 1990
from 71.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
7.1%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 5.5% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.0 min
−24%since 1990
from 18.3 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 married24.5%(26,972)
Married62.9%(69,167)
Widowed2.8%(3,121)
Divorced9.8%(10,750)
Women 15+
Never married19.7%(24,424)
Married56.3%(69,891)
Widowed12.3%(15,276)
Divorced11.6%(14,448)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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+77%
Home value$250,970+150%
Population349,001+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROANOKE VS
Rockford
Income$68,800+73%
Home value$172,788+72%
Population337,242+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROANOKE VS
South Bend
Income$67,435+70%
Home value$196,800+96%
Population324,538+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROANOKE VS
Utica
Income$69,815+76%
Home value$175,381+75%
Population285,611−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Roanoke, VA?

Roanoke, VA has about 288,309 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Roanoke, VA?

The typical household in Roanoke, VA earns about $39,704 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 $100,459, and the typical rent is about $488 a month.

How educated are people in Roanoke, VA?

About 21.0% 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 9.5% of people in Roanoke, VA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Roanoke, VA grown since 1990?

Yes, Roanoke, VA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 19,911 residents, a change of about 7 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 →