Smyth County, VA

County

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2021 Population

29,960

1.9% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

45.2

0.441% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

18.9%

1.07% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$42,588

3.65% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$108,100

8.64% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Smyth County, VA had a population of 30k people with a median age of 45.2 and a median household income of $42,588. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Smyth County, VA declined from 30,539 to 29,960, a −1.9% decrease and its median household income grew from $41,088 to $42,588, a 3.65% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Smyth County, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (93.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.02%), White (Hispanic) (1.65%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.18%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.597%).

None of the households in Smyth County, VA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.5% of the residents in Smyth County, VA are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Smyth County, VA was $108,100, and the homeownership rate was 68.5%.

Most people in Smyth County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Smyth County, VA was 2 cars per household.

Smyth County, VA borders Bland County, VA, Grayson County, VA, Russell County, VA, Tazewell County, VA, Washington County, VA, and Wythe County, VA.

United States Virginia

Population & Diversity

Smyth County, VA is home to a population of 30k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2021, 1.76% of Smyth County, VA residents were born outside of the country (527 people).

In 2021, there were 46.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (28.1k people) in Smyth County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 605 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 494 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

98.5%

2021 Citizenship

98.6%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.5% of Smyth County, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Smyth County, VA was 98.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Smyth County, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Smyth County, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
28.1k ± 23
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
605 ± 209
White (Hispanic)
494 ± 88

2.16%

Hispanic Population

648 people

2.16% of the people in Smyth County, VA are hispanic (648 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Smyth County, VA as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

1.76%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

527 people

1.6%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

489 people

As of 2021, 1.76% of Smyth County, VA residents (527 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Smyth County, VA was 1.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Smyth County, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
691 ± 150
Gulf War (2001-)
286 ± 102
Gulf War (1990s)
226 ± 94

Smyth County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.42 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Smyth County, VA employs 12.2k people. The largest industries in Smyth County, VA are Manufacturing (2,467 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,161 people), and Retail Trade (1,797 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($58,571), Wholesale Trade ($46,014), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($43,482).

Employment

Occupations

12.2k

2021 Value

± 720

1.37%

1 Year growth

± 8.19%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Smyth County, VA grew at a rate of 1.37%, from 12.1k employees to 12.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Smyth County, VA, are Production Occupations (2,044 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,148 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,118 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Smyth County, VA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

12.2k

2021 Value

± 720

1.37%

1 Year growth

± 8.19%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Smyth County, VA grew at a rate of 1.37%, from 12.1k employees to 12.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Smyth County, VA, are Manufacturing (2,467 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,161 people), and Retail Trade (1,797 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Smyth County, VA, though some of these residents may live in Smyth County, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,629

Median earning men ± $2,821

$26,226

Median earning women ± $1,845

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($46,698), Manufacturing ($46,455), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($44,464).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($53,289), Public Administration ($45,625), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($44,000).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Virginia.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

220
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
166
Manufacturing
137
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $37.7B, followed by Electronics ($29B) and Machinery ($23.6B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Virginia products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Virginia.

$313B

2020 Value in Virginia

$612B

Projected 2050 Value in Virginia

95.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Virginia trade was $313B. This is expected to increase 95.3% to $612B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Virginia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Most Common Trade Partners

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $26B, followed by Maryland with $18.5B and Pennsylvania and $12.4B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Virginia shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Smyth County, VA went to Donald J. Trump with 77.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (21.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.941%).

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing the state of Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (77.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (21.3%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.941%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Smyth County, VA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Virginia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Mark Warner

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Tim Kaine

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing Virginia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Virginia

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Virginia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Measure

In 2021, 0.836% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.859% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.68M), Bachelors Degree (1.44M), and Some college (1.41M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Smyth County, VA was $108,100 in 2021, which is 0.441 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $99,500 to $108,100, a 8.64% increase. The homeownership rate in Smyth County, VA is 68.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Smyth County, VA have an average commute time of 22.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Smyth County, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Smyth County, VA is $42,588. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Smyth County, VA was Census Tract 305 with a value of $49,133, followed by Census Tract 307.02 and Census Tract 304, with respective values of $47,731 and $44,418.

Property

$108,100

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,525

$8,631

Median Property Taxes

±$520

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Smyth County, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Smyth County, VA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.5%

Homeownership

2021

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.5% of the housing units in Smyth County, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Smyth County, VA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 305
Census Tract 307.02
Census Tract 304

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Smyth County, VA was Census Tract 305 with a value of $49,133, followed by Census Tract 307.02 and Census Tract 304, with respective values of $47,731 and $44,418.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Smyth County, VA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$42,588

Median Household Income

± $2,759

12.6k

Number of Households

± 704

In 2021, the median household income of the 12.6k households in Smyth County, VA grew to $42,588 from the previous year's value of $41,088.

The following chart displays the households in Smyth County, VA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Smyth County, VA is from Virginia.

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2021, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.476 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.381% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (81.3%)
Carpooled (9.82%)
Worked At Home (4.7%)

In 2021, 81.3% of workers in Smyth County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.82%) and those who worked at home (4.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Smyth County, VA have a shorter commute time (22.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.51% of the workforce in Smyth County, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Smyth County, VA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Smyth County, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Smyth County, VA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

18.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Smyth County, VA (5.55k out of 29.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Smyth County, VA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.8% of the population of Smyth County, VA has health coverage, with 38.6% on employee plans, 19.9% on Medicaid, 19.8% on Medicare, 10.3% on non-group plans, and 3.18% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Smyth County, VA see 1771 patients per year on average, which represents a 10.4% increase from the previous year (1604 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1881 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 547 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,771 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Smyth County, VA

Primary care physicians in Smyth County, VA see an average of 1,771 patients per year. This represents a 10.4% increase from the previous year (1,604 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Smyth County, VA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.3% under 18 years, 18.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.22%

Uninsured

38.6%

Employer Coverage

19.9%

Medicaid

19.8%

Medicare

10.3%

Non-Group

3.18%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Smyth County, VA declined by 8.08% from 8.95% to 8.22%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Smyth County, VA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 85.9 in Smyth County, VA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Smyth County, VA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 39% in Smyth County, VA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Smyth County, VA.

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