Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Virginia

Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Blacksburg, VA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 39 cities in 2023, at 42.8%. Falls Church, VA had the lowest, at 3.6%. The median was 13% and the figure for Virginia was 9.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest42.8Blacksburg, VA
Lowest3.6Falls Church, VA
Median1339 cities
Virginia9.9History

All cities, 2023

Blacksburg, VA: 42.8 %Blacksburg, VA42.8Radford, VA: 33.7 %Radford, VA33.7Harrisonburg, VA: 25.6 %Harrisonburg, VA25.6Danville, VA: 25 %Danville, VA25Hopewell, VA: 23.8 %Hopewell, VA23.8Charlottesville, VA: 22.6 %Charlottesville, VA22.6Martinsville, VA: 21.8 %Martinsville, VA21.8Petersburg, VA: 21.1 %Petersburg, VA21.1Roanoke, VA: 19.7 %Roanoke, VA19.7Winchester, VA: 19.3 %Winchester, VA19.3Richmond, VA: 18.8 %Richmond, VA18.8Bristol, VA: 18.3 %Bristol, VA18.3Portsmouth, VA: 17.6 %Portsmouth, VA17.6Lynchburg, VA: 17.4 %Lynchburg, VA17.4Norfolk, VA: 17.3 %Norfolk, VA17.3Fredericksburg, VA: 16.4 %Fredericksburg, VA16.4Newport News, VA: 15.1 %Newport News, VA15.1Williamsburg, VA: 14.1 %Williamsburg, VA14.1Front Royal, VA: 13.9 %Front Royal, VA13.9Hampton, VA: 13 %Hampton, VA13Staunton, VA: 12.6 %Staunton, VA12.6Christiansburg, VA: 12.4 %Christiansburg, VA12.4Waynesboro, VA: 11.7 %Waynesboro, VA11.7Culpeper, VA: 11.6 %Culpeper, VA11.6Salem, VA: 10.9 %Salem, VA10.9Fairfax, VA: 9.9 %Fairfax, VA9.9Suffolk, VA: 9.9 %Suffolk, VA9.9Colonial Heights, VA: 9.6 %Colonial Heights, VA9.6Herndon, VA: 9.4 %Herndon, VA9.4Warrenton, VA: 8.7 %Warrenton, VA8.7Chesapeake, VA: 8.7 %Chesapeake, VA8.7Alexandria, VA: 8.4 %Alexandria, VA8.4Virginia Beach, VA: 8.4 %Virginia Beach, VA8.4Leesburg, VA: 7.6 %Leesburg, VA7.6Manassas, VA: 6.7 %Manassas, VA6.7Manassas Park, VA: 5.8 %Manassas Park, VA5.8Poquoson, VA: 5.8 %Poquoson, VA5.8Vienna, VA: 5.4 %Vienna, VA5.4Falls Church, VA: 3.6 %Falls Church, VA3.6Blacksburg, VA: 42.8 %Blacksburg, VA42.8Radford, VA: 33.7 %Radford, VA33.7Harrisonburg, VA: 25.6 %Harrisonburg, VA25.6Danville, VA: 25 %Danville, VA25Hopewell, VA: 23.8 %Hopewell, VA23.8Charlottesville, VA: 22.6 %Charlottesville, VA22.6Martinsville, VA: 21.8 %Martinsville, VA21.8Petersburg, VA: 21.1 %Petersburg, VA21.1Roanoke, VA: 19.7 %Roanoke, VA19.7Winchester, VA: 19.3 %Winchester, VA19.3Richmond, VA: 18.8 %Richmond, VA18.8Bristol, VA: 18.3 %Bristol, VA18.3Portsmouth, VA: 17.6 %Portsmouth, VA17.6Lynchburg, VA: 17.4 %Lynchburg, VA17.4Norfolk, VA: 17.3 %Norfolk, VA17.3Fredericksburg, VA: 16.4 %Fredericksburg, VA16.4Newport News, VA: 15.1 %Newport News, VA15.1Williamsburg, VA: 14.1 %Williamsburg, VA14.1Front Royal, VA: 13.9 %Front Royal, VA13.9Hampton, VA: 13 %Hampton, VA13Staunton, VA: 12.6 %Staunton, VA12.6Christiansburg, VA: 12.4 %Christiansburg, VA12.4Waynesboro, VA: 11.7 %Waynesboro, VA11.7Culpeper, VA: 11.6 %Culpeper, VA11.6Salem, VA: 10.9 %Salem, VA10.9Fairfax, VA: 9.9 %Fairfax, VA9.9Suffolk, VA: 9.9 %Suffolk, VA9.9Colonial Heights, VA: 9.6 %Colonial Heights, VA9.6Herndon, VA: 9.4 %Herndon, VA9.4Warrenton, VA: 8.7 %Warrenton, VA8.7Chesapeake, VA: 8.7 %Chesapeake, VA8.7Alexandria, VA: 8.4 %Alexandria, VA8.4Virginia Beach, VA: 8.4 %Virginia Beach, VA8.4Leesburg, VA: 7.6 %Leesburg, VA7.6Manassas, VA: 6.7 %Manassas, VA6.7Manassas Park, VA: 5.8 %Manassas Park, VA5.8Poquoson, VA: 5.8 %Poquoson, VA5.8Vienna, VA: 5.4 %Vienna, VA5.4Falls Church, VA: 3.6 %Falls Church, VA3.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Blacksburg, VA42.8-2.4 pts
2Radford, VA33.7-0.1 pts
3Harrisonburg, VA25.6-1.6 pts
4Danville, VA25-0.3 pts
5Hopewell, VA23.8+2.5 pts
6Charlottesville, VA22.6-1 pts
7Martinsville, VA21.8-2.7 pts
8Petersburg, VA21.1-1.1 pts
9Roanoke, VA19.7+0.6 pts
10Winchester, VA19.3+2.4 pts
11Richmond, VA18.8-0.6 pts
12Bristol, VA18.3+1.3 pts
13Portsmouth, VA17.6+0.2 pts
14Lynchburg, VA17.4-0.1 pts
15Norfolk, VA17.3+0.4 pts
16Fredericksburg, VA16.4-1.6 pts
17Newport News, VA15.1+0.5 pts
18Williamsburg, VA14.1+0.5 pts
19Front Royal, VA13.9-1.6 pts
20Hampton, VA13-0.4 pts
21Staunton, VA12.6+1.1 pts
22Christiansburg, VA12.4+0.1 pts
23Waynesboro, VA11.7-4.4 pts
24Culpeper, VA11.6+1.1 pts
25Salem, VA10.9+1.2 pts
26Fairfax, VA9.9-0.1 pts
27Suffolk, VA9.9+0.4 pts
28Colonial Heights, VA9.6-0.7 pts
29Herndon, VA9.4+2.3 pts
30Warrenton, VA8.7+1.8 pts
31Chesapeake, VA8.7+1 pts
32Alexandria, VA8.4-0.4 pts
33Virginia Beach, VA8.4+0.3 pts
34Leesburg, VA7.6+1.4 pts
35Manassas, VA6.7+2 pts
36Manassas Park, VA5.8+0.7 pts
37Poquoson, VA5.8+1.3 pts
38Vienna, VA5.4+0.5 pts
39Falls Church, VA3.6+1.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

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

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_virginia_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"Virginia","limit":10}
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Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Blacksburg, VA, with 42.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Falls Church, VA, with 3.6% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Virginia: more rankings