Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

181,605

9.2% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

34.9

3.56% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

19.9%

7.55% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$64,627

4.21% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$228,400

3.16% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

85,554

11.2% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA had a population of 182k people with a median age of 34.9 and a median household income of $64,627. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew from 166,304 to 181,605, a 9.2% increase and its median household income grew from $62,017 to $64,627, a 4.21% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.24%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.75%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.46%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.55%).

None of the households in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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.

96.5% of the residents in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (10,020 degrees awarded in 2022), Radford University (2,248 degrees), and New River Community College (942 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was $228,400, and the homeownership rate was 62.5%.

Most people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was 2 cars per household.

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA borders Bluefield, WV-VA and Roanoke, VA.

United States Virginia

Population & Diversity

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is home to a population of 182k people, from which 96.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 5.91% of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA residents were born outside of the country (10.7k people).

In 2023, there were 20.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (155k people) in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.71k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6.8k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.5%

2023 Citizenship

96.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.5% of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
155k ± 355
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
7.71k ± 364
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
6.8k ± 404

3.69%

Hispanic Population

6.7k people

3.69% of the people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are hispanic (6.7k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Virginia.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
107,605 ± 8,003 people
India
98,735 ± 7,670 people
Mexico
59,855 ± 5,986 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 107,605 Virginia residents, followed by India with 98,735 and Mexico with 59,855.

Foreign-Born Population

5.91%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

10.7k people

5.96%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

9.92k people

As of 2023, 5.91% of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA residents (10.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was 5.96%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,714 ± 280
Gulf War (2001-)
1,765 ± 331
Gulf War (1990s)
1,446 ± 289

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.54 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA employs 85.6k people. The largest industries in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are Educational Services (17,115 people), Manufacturing (11,466 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (9,911 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($68,056), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($62,083), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($60,076).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,674. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.475, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

85.6k

2023 Value

± 2,352

11.2%

1 Year growth

± 3.7%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew at a rate of 11.2%, from 76.9k employees to 85.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (9,836 people), Sales & Related Occupations (7,970 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (7,407 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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

85.6k

2023 Value

± 2,352

11.2%

1 Year growth

± 3.7%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew at a rate of 11.2%, from 76.9k employees to 85.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, are Educational Services (17,115 people), Manufacturing (11,466 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (9,911 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, though some of these residents may live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,476

Median earning men ± $1,562

$34,587

Median earning women ± $1,519

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($64,444), Manufacturing ($59,283), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,000).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($48,750), Information ($47,701), and Manufacturing ($45,773).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.1M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

297
Other Services (except Public Administration)
230
Retail Trade
228
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$933k
Manufacturing
$457k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$304k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

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

Voting results are not available for Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA. Showing the available data for Virginia.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (51.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (46.1%)
Republican Party
Other (0.905%)
Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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

In 2022, universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA awarded 13,680 degrees. The student population of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA in 2022 is skewed towards men, with 27,319 male students and 24,995 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are White (8,946 and 70.4%), followed by Asian (1,073 and 8.45%), Hispanic or Latino (842 and 6.63%), and Black or African American (759 and 5.98%).

The largest universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA by number of degrees awarded are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (10,020 and 73.2%), Radford University (2,248 and 16.4%), and New River Community College (942 and 6.89%).

The most popular majors in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are General Computer & Information Sciences (520 and 3.8%), Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy (470 and 3.44%), and Management Science (444 and 3.25%).

The median tuition cost in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA for a public four year colleges is $10,130 for in-state students and $26,000 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 64.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 52,314 (52.2% men and 47.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 52,314 students enrolled in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, 52.2% men and 47.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 31,612 records, of which 49.8% were women and 50.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Computer & Information Sciences
366 degrees awarded
General Psychology
360 degrees awarded
Management Science
444 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was General Computer & Information Sciences with 366 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
10,020 degrees awarded
Radford University
2,248 degrees awarded
New River Community College
942 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with 10,020 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 7,036 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, which is 1.06 times more than the 6,644 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 8,946 degrees mean that there were 8.34 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 1,073 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($10,130) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,161) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($2,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.884% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.904% 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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.71M), Bachelors Degree (1.47M), and Some college (1.4M).

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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was $228,400 in 2023, which is 0.753 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $221,400 to $228,400, a 3.16% increase. The homeownership rate in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is 62.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA have an average commute time of 21.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is $64,627. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $178,707, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $154,734 and $150,113.

Housing

Property

$228,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,106

$43,753

Median Property Taxes

±$1,524

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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.5%

Homeownership

2023

67.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 62.5% of the housing units in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 60.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $178,707, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $154,734 and $150,113.

The following map shows all of the counties in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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.

$64,627

Median Household Income

± $2,441

70k

Number of Households

± 2,017

In 2023, the median household income of the 70k households in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew to $64,627 from the previous year's value of $62,017.

The following chart displays the households in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is from Virginia.

0.475

2022 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2022, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.475 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.164% decline from 2021 to 2022, 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 2023

Drove Alone (75.1%)
Worked At Home (9.67%)
Carpooled (7.26%)

In 2023, 75.1% of workers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.67%) and those who carpooled to work (7.26%).

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

21.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA have a shorter commute time (21.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.18% of the workforce in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

19.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA (33.1k out of 166k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is White, followed by Black and Asian.

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

94.3% of the population of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has health coverage, with 56.4% on employee plans, 10.6% on Medicaid, 14.3% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 1.58% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Virginia see 1324 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.07% increase from the previous year (1310 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1351 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 447 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,324 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Virginia

Primary care physicians in Virginia see an average of 1,324 patients per year. This represents a 1.07% increase from the previous year (1,310 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.2% under 18 years, 30.2% between 18 and 34 years, 33.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.67%

Uninsured

56.4%

Employer Coverage

10.6%

Medicaid

14.3%

Medicare

11.4%

Non-Group

1.58%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew by 4.77% from 5.41% to 5.67%.

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

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