Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Buchanan County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 133 counties in 2017, at 40.3%. Loudoun County had the lowest, at 3%. The median was 18.4% and the figure for Virginia was 14%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest40.3Buchanan County
Median18.4133 counties
Virginia14History

Map of counties, 2017

Accomack County: 28 %Albemarle County: 8.8 %Alleghany County: 20.7 %Amelia County: 14.4 %Amherst County: 18.3 %Appomattox County: 17.5 %Arlington County: 7.3 %Augusta County: 11.5 %Bath County: 14.2 %Bedford County: 12.5 %Bland County: 17.2 %Botetourt County: 8.3 %Brunswick County: 30.1 %Buchanan County: 40.3 %Buckingham County: 22.7 %Campbell County: 15.8 %Caroline County: 15 %Carroll County: 22.7 %Charles City County: 17.5 %Charlotte County: 26.2 %Chesterfield County: 8.7 %Clarke County: 8.1 %Craig County: 19.3 %Culpeper County: 13.2 %Cumberland County: 23.7 %Dickenson County: 30.7 %Dinwiddie County: 16 %Essex County: 23.4 %Fairfax County: 8.6 %Fauquier County: 6.6 %Floyd County: 17.7 %Fluvanna County: 9 %Franklin County: 18.4 %Frederick County: 8.8 %Giles County: 16.2 %Gloucester County: 13.8 %Goochland County: 7.9 %Grayson County: 26.6 %Greene County: 12.3 %Greensville County: 25.6 %Halifax County: 24.4 %Hanover County: 5.9 %Henrico County: 13.9 %Henry County: 24.9 %Highland County: 18 %Isle of Wight County: 11.2 %James City County: 9.1 %King and Queen County: 18.1 %King George County: 8.5 %King William County: 9.8 %Lancaster County: 23.7 %Lee County: 33 %Loudoun County: 3 %Louisa County: 14.5 %Lunenburg County: 26.9 %Madison County: 15 %Mathews County: 16.2 %Mecklenburg County: 26.4 %Middlesex County: 23.6 %Montgomery County: 15.1 %Nelson County: 20.6 %New Kent County: 7.6 %Northampton County: 28.8 %Northumberland County: 27.8 %Nottoway County: 25.3 %Orange County: 12.6 %Page County: 22.1 %Patrick County: 22.3 %Pittsylvania County: 18.8 %Powhatan County: 6.8 %Prince Edward County: 27.1 %Prince George County: 12.7 %Prince William County: 8 %Pulaski County: 21.1 %Rappahannock County: 15.2 %Richmond County: 23 %Roanoke County: 8.6 %Rockbridge County: 17 %Rockingham County: 11.5 %Russell County: 25 %Scott County: 23.1 %Shenandoah County: 13.9 %Smyth County: 25.1 %Southampton County: 20.5 %Spotsylvania County: 10 %Stafford County: 5.8 %Surry County: 19.7 %Sussex County: 29.3 %Tazewell County: 25.6 %Warren County: 12.7 %Washington County: 18.5 %Westmoreland County: 26.3 %Wise County: 29.5 %Wythe County: 20.1 %York County: 5.9 %Alexandria city: 17 %Bristol city: 30.8 %Buena Vista city: 20.9 %Charlottesville city: 19.4 %Chesapeake city: 14 %Colonial Heights city: 16.4 %Covington city: 25 %Danville city: 38.5 %Emporia city: 36.7 %Fairfax city: 7.2 %Falls Church city: 3.1 %Franklin city: 35.1 %Fredericksburg city: 20.3 %Galax city: 35.4 %Hampton city: 23.5 %Harrisonburg city: 20.3 %Hopewell city: 32.5 %Lexington city: 13.1 %Lynchburg city: 25 %Manassas city: 14.2 %Manassas Park city: 11.4 %Martinsville city: 34.4 %Newport News city: 25.2 %Norfolk city: 27.9 %Norton city: 33.5 %Petersburg city: 34.5 %Poquoson city: 5.7 %Portsmouth city: 30.6 %Radford city: 17.5 %Richmond city: 35.2 %Roanoke city: 29.4 %Salem city: 13.4 %Staunton city: 21 %Suffolk city: 16.6 %Virginia Beach city: 11.2 %Waynesboro city: 21.7 %Williamsburg city: 23 %Winchester city: 19.7 %
  • Under 9.1
  • 9.1 to 14
  • 14 to 18
  • 18 to 23
  • 23 to 27
  • 27 and over
%, 2017. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Buchanan County: 40.3 %Buchanan County40.3Danville city: 38.5 %Danville city38.5Emporia city: 36.7 %Emporia city36.7Galax city: 35.4 %Galax city35.4Richmond city: 35.2 %Richmond city35.2Franklin city: 35.1 %Franklin city35.1Petersburg city: 34.5 %Petersburg city34.5Martinsville city: 34.4 %Martinsville city34.4Norton city: 33.5 %Norton city33.5Lee County: 33 %Lee County33Hopewell city: 32.5 %Hopewell city32.5Bristol city: 30.8 %Bristol city30.8Dickenson County: 30.7 %Dickenson County30.7Portsmouth city: 30.6 %Portsmouth city30.6Brunswick County: 30.1 %Brunswick County30.1Wise County: 29.5 %Wise County29.5Roanoke city: 29.4 %Roanoke city29.4Sussex County: 29.3 %Sussex County29.3Northampton County: 28.8 %Northampton County28.8Accomack County: 28 %Accomack County28Norfolk city: 27.9 %Norfolk city27.9Northumberland County: 27.8 %Northumberland County27.8Prince Edward County: 27.1 %Prince Edward County27.1Lunenburg County: 26.9 %Lunenburg County26.9Grayson County: 26.6 %Grayson County26.6Mecklenburg County: 26.4 %Mecklenburg County26.4Westmoreland County: 26.3 %Westmoreland County26.3Charlotte County: 26.2 %Charlotte County26.2Greensville County: 25.6 %Greensville County25.6Tazewell County: 25.6 %Tazewell County25.6Nottoway County: 25.3 %Nottoway County25.3Newport News city: 25.2 %Newport News city25.2Smyth County: 25.1 %Smyth County25.1Covington city: 25 %Covington city25Lynchburg city: 25 %Lynchburg city25Russell County: 25 %Russell County25Henry County: 24.9 %Henry County24.9Halifax County: 24.4 %Halifax County24.4Cumberland County: 23.7 %Cumberland County23.7Lancaster County: 23.7 %Lancaster County23.7Buchanan County: 40.3 %Buchanan County40.3Danville city: 38.5 %Danville city38.5Emporia city: 36.7 %Emporia city36.7Galax city: 35.4 %Galax city35.4Richmond city: 35.2 %Richmond city35.2Franklin city: 35.1 %Franklin city35.1Petersburg city: 34.5 %Petersburg city34.5Martinsville city: 34.4 %Martinsville city34.4Norton city: 33.5 %Norton city33.5Lee County: 33 %Lee County33Hopewell city: 32.5 %Hopewell city32.5Bristol city: 30.8 %Bristol city30.8Dickenson County: 30.7 %Dickenson County30.7Portsmouth city: 30.6 %Portsmouth city30.6Brunswick County: 30.1 %Brunswick County30.1Wise County: 29.5 %Wise County29.5Roanoke city: 29.4 %Roanoke city29.4Sussex County: 29.3 %Sussex County29.3Northampton County: 28.8 %Northampton County28.8Accomack County: 28 %Accomack County28Norfolk city: 27.9 %Norfolk city27.9Northumberland County: 27.8 %Northumberland County27.8Prince Edward County: 27.1 %Prince Edward County27.1Lunenburg County: 26.9 %Lunenburg County26.9Grayson County: 26.6 %Grayson County26.6Mecklenburg County: 26.4 %Mecklenburg County26.4Westmoreland County: 26.3 %Westmoreland County26.3Charlotte County: 26.2 %Charlotte County26.2Greensville County: 25.6 %Greensville County25.6Tazewell County: 25.6 %Tazewell County25.6Nottoway County: 25.3 %Nottoway County25.3Newport News city: 25.2 %Newport News city25.2Smyth County: 25.1 %Smyth County25.1Covington city: 25 %Covington city25Lynchburg city: 25 %Lynchburg city25Russell County: 25 %Russell County25Henry County: 24.9 %Henry County24.9Halifax County: 24.4 %Halifax County24.4Cumberland County: 23.7 %Cumberland County23.7Lancaster County: 23.7 %Lancaster County23.7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Buchanan County40.3+9.6 pts
2Danville city38.5+0.9 pts
3Emporia city36.7-1.9 pts
4Galax city35.4+1.1 pts
5Richmond city35.2-3.7 pts
6Franklin city35.1+1.3 pts
7Petersburg city34.5-2.2 pts
8Martinsville city34.4-0.4 pts
9Norton city33.5-0.3 pts
10Lee County33-4.5 pts
11Hopewell city32.5+1.5 pts
12Bristol city30.8-7.4 pts
13Dickenson County30.7+0.8 pts
14Portsmouth city30.6+0.5 pts
15Brunswick County30.1+0.1 pts
16Wise County29.5+0.9 pts
17Roanoke city29.4-1.2 pts
18Sussex County29.3-0.9 pts
19Northampton County28.8-0.6 pts
20Accomack County28-3.8 pts
21Norfolk city27.9-3.3 pts
22Northumberland County27.8+1.6 pts
23Prince Edward County27.1-0.9 pts
24Lunenburg County26.9+0.8 pts
25Grayson County26.6+0.7 pts
26Mecklenburg County26.4+0.4 pts
27Westmoreland County26.3-1.5 pts
28Charlotte County26.2-3.1 pts
29Greensville County25.6-1 pts
29Tazewell County25.6+0.8 pts
31Nottoway County25.3-3.8 pts
32Newport News city25.2+4.1 pts
33Smyth County25.1+0.9 pts
34Covington city25-1.5 pts
34Lynchburg city25+0.5 pts
34Russell County25+1.3 pts
37Henry County24.9-3.4 pts
38Halifax County24.4-1.4 pts
39Cumberland County23.7-2.7 pts
39Lancaster County23.7-3.3 pts
41Middlesex County23.6-1.3 pts
42Hampton city23.50 pts
43Essex County23.4-0.6 pts
44Scott County23.1-0.9 pts
45Richmond County23-0.7 pts
45Williamsburg city23-0.1 pts
47Buckingham County22.7-1.6 pts
47Carroll County22.7+0.1 pts
49Patrick County22.3-5.2 pts
50Page County22.1-1.8 pts
51Waynesboro city21.7-2.4 pts
52Pulaski County21.1+1.1 pts
53Staunton city21+0.2 pts
54Buena Vista city20.9-3 pts
55Alleghany County20.7-1 pts
56Nelson County20.60 pts
57Southampton County20.5-0.6 pts
58Fredericksburg city20.3+0.1 pts
58Harrisonburg city20.3-1.5 pts
60Wythe County20.1-0.8 pts
61Surry County19.7-2.1 pts
61Winchester city19.7-2.3 pts
63Charlottesville city19.4-0.4 pts
64Craig County19.3-3 pts
65Pittsylvania County18.8-0.2 pts
66Washington County18.5-0.4 pts
67Franklin County18.40 pts
68Amherst County18.3-2.6 pts
69King and Queen County18.1-0.6 pts
70Highland County18-1.2 pts
71Floyd County17.7+0.5 pts
72Appomattox County17.5-2.1 pts
72Charles City County17.5-2.5 pts
72Radford city17.5-1.6 pts
75Bland County17.2+0.5 pts
76Alexandria city17+0.6 pts
76Rockbridge County17-0.9 pts
78Suffolk city16.6-0.2 pts
79Colonial Heights city16.4-0.6 pts
80Giles County16.2-1.5 pts
80Mathews County16.2-1.5 pts
82Dinwiddie County16-2.4 pts
83Campbell County15.8-2.6 pts
84Rappahannock County15.2-1.6 pts
85Montgomery County15.1+1.7 pts
86Caroline County150 pts
86Madison County15-2.9 pts
88Louisa County14.5-1.5 pts
89Amelia County14.4-1.1 pts
90Bath County14.2-3.5 pts
90Manassas city14.2-1.5 pts
92Chesapeake city14+1.1 pts
93Henrico County13.9+2.1 pts
93Shenandoah County13.9-1.1 pts
95Gloucester County13.8+0.1 pts
96Salem city13.4+1 pts
97Culpeper County13.2-0.2 pts
98Lexington city13.1-2.7 pts
99Prince George County12.7+1.1 pts
99Warren County12.7-1.7 pts
101Orange County12.6-1.1 pts
102Bedford County12.5-0.2 pts
103Greene County12.3-0.5 pts
104Augusta County11.5-0.9 pts
104Rockingham County11.5-1.4 pts
106Manassas Park city11.4-1.4 pts
107Isle of Wight County11.2-1.2 pts
107Virginia Beach city11.2-0.3 pts
109Spotsylvania County10-0.7 pts
110King William County9.8-1.7 pts
111James City County9.1-0.3 pts
112Fluvanna County9-0.8 pts
113Albemarle County8.8-0.6 pts
113Frederick County8.8-1.1 pts
115Chesterfield County8.7-0.6 pts
116Fairfax County8.6+1.4 pts
116Roanoke County8.6-0.6 pts
118King George County8.5-0.4 pts
119Botetourt County8.3-1.1 pts
120Clarke County8.1-1 pts
121Prince William County8-1.7 pts
122Goochland County7.9-0.7 pts
123New Kent County7.6-0.7 pts
124Arlington County7.3-1.1 pts
125Fairfax city7.2-0.3 pts
126Powhatan County6.8-1.4 pts
127Fauquier County6.6-0.6 pts
128Hanover County5.9-0.6 pts
128York County5.9-0.7 pts
130Stafford County5.8-1.2 pts
131Poquoson city5.7-1 pts
132Falls Church city3.1-0.3 pts
133Loudoun County3-0.5 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/virginia-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/virginia-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/virginia-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/virginia-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/virginia-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/virginia-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Buchanan County, with 40.3% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Loudoun County, with 3% in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings