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

Radford city had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 133 counties in 2023, at 33.7%. Powhatan County had the lowest, at 3.3%. The median was 11.6% and the figure for Virginia was 9.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest33.7Radford city
Median11.6133 counties
Virginia9.9History

Map of counties, 2023

Accomack County: 14.9 %Albemarle County: 6.8 %Alleghany County: 13.1 %Amelia County: 11.1 %Amherst County: 10.8 %Appomattox County: 12.3 %Arlington County: 7.1 %Augusta County: 7.3 %Bath County: 21.1 %Bedford County: 8.1 %Bland County: 12.7 %Botetourt County: 6.1 %Brunswick County: 15.3 %Buchanan County: 23.9 %Buckingham County: 13.7 %Campbell County: 10.1 %Caroline County: 11.6 %Carroll County: 16.2 %Charles City County: 11.4 %Charlotte County: 24.6 %Chesterfield County: 6.9 %Clarke County: 6.9 %Craig County: 14 %Culpeper County: 8.2 %Cumberland County: 7.7 %Dickenson County: 20.2 %Dinwiddie County: 10.7 %Essex County: 15.5 %Fairfax County: 5.9 %Fauquier County: 6.2 %Floyd County: 8.3 %Fluvanna County: 7.7 %Franklin County: 11.5 %Frederick County: 7.1 %Giles County: 8.9 %Gloucester County: 6.8 %Goochland County: 3.9 %Grayson County: 18 %Greene County: 11.7 %Greensville County: 13.5 %Halifax County: 18 %Hanover County: 5.2 %Henrico County: 8.4 %Henry County: 14.8 %Highland County: 10.3 %Isle of Wight County: 7.4 %James City County: 6.5 %King and Queen County: 18.5 %King George County: 6.5 %King William County: 7.9 %Lancaster County: 13.1 %Lee County: 27.6 %Loudoun County: 4 %Louisa County: 10.1 %Lunenburg County: 15.9 %Madison County: 7.1 %Mathews County: 7.9 %Mecklenburg County: 17.4 %Middlesex County: 9.6 %Montgomery County: 23.8 %Nelson County: 14.4 %New Kent County: 5.2 %Northampton County: 17.1 %Northumberland County: 10.3 %Nottoway County: 18.9 %Orange County: 10.1 %Page County: 9.5 %Patrick County: 10.8 %Pittsylvania County: 15 %Powhatan County: 3.3 %Prince Edward County: 21.6 %Prince George County: 8 %Prince William County: 6.1 %Pulaski County: 14.6 %Rappahannock County: 9.5 %Richmond County: 9.3 %Roanoke County: 7.3 %Rockbridge County: 8 %Rockingham County: 9.6 %Russell County: 18.1 %Scott County: 18 %Shenandoah County: 12.3 %Smyth County: 16.5 %Southampton County: 8.7 %Spotsylvania County: 7 %Stafford County: 5.1 %Surry County: 11.6 %Sussex County: 12.1 %Tazewell County: 19.3 %Warren County: 11.3 %Washington County: 11 %Westmoreland County: 13.8 %Wise County: 17.7 %Wythe County: 15.6 %York County: 5.4 %Alexandria city: 8.4 %Bristol city: 18.3 %Buena Vista city: 22 %Charlottesville city: 22.6 %Chesapeake city: 8.7 %Colonial Heights city: 9.6 %Covington city: 23.6 %Danville city: 25 %Emporia city: 13.5 %Fairfax city: 9.9 %Falls Church city: 3.6 %Franklin city: 16.7 %Fredericksburg city: 16.4 %Galax city: 23.4 %Hampton city: 13 %Harrisonburg city: 25.6 %Hopewell city: 23.8 %Lexington city: 15.9 %Lynchburg city: 17.4 %Manassas city: 6.7 %Manassas Park city: 5.8 %Martinsville city: 21.8 %Newport News city: 15.1 %Norfolk city: 17.3 %Norton city: 25.7 %Petersburg city: 21.1 %Poquoson city: 5.8 %Portsmouth city: 17.6 %Radford city: 33.7 %Richmond city: 18.8 %Roanoke city: 19.7 %Salem city: 10.9 %Staunton city: 12.6 %Suffolk city: 9.9 %Virginia Beach city: 8.4 %Waynesboro city: 11.7 %Williamsburg city: 14.1 %Winchester city: 19.3 %
  • Under 7.1
  • 7.1 to 9.5
  • 9.5 to 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 to 19
  • 19 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Radford city: 33.7 %Radford city33.7Lee County: 27.6 %Lee County27.6Norton city: 25.7 %Norton city25.7Harrisonburg city: 25.6 %Harrisonburg city25.6Danville city: 25 %Danville city25Charlotte County: 24.6 %Charlotte County24.6Buchanan County: 23.9 %Buchanan County23.9Hopewell city: 23.8 %Hopewell city23.8Montgomery County: 23.8 %Montgomery County23.8Covington city: 23.6 %Covington city23.6Galax city: 23.4 %Galax city23.4Charlottesville city: 22.6 %Charlottesville city22.6Buena Vista city: 22 %Buena Vista city22Martinsville city: 21.8 %Martinsville city21.8Prince Edward County: 21.6 %Prince Edward County21.6Bath County: 21.1 %Bath County21.1Petersburg city: 21.1 %Petersburg city21.1Dickenson County: 20.2 %Dickenson County20.2Roanoke city: 19.7 %Roanoke city19.7Winchester city: 19.3 %Winchester city19.3Tazewell County: 19.3 %Tazewell County19.3Nottoway County: 18.9 %Nottoway County18.9Richmond city: 18.8 %Richmond city18.8King and Queen County: 18.5 %King and Queen County18.5Bristol city: 18.3 %Bristol city18.3Russell County: 18.1 %Russell County18.1Grayson County: 18 %Grayson County18Scott County: 18 %Scott County18Halifax County: 18 %Halifax County18Wise County: 17.7 %Wise County17.7Portsmouth city: 17.6 %Portsmouth city17.6Lynchburg city: 17.4 %Lynchburg city17.4Mecklenburg County: 17.4 %Mecklenburg County17.4Norfolk city: 17.3 %Norfolk city17.3Northampton County: 17.1 %Northampton County17.1Franklin city: 16.7 %Franklin city16.7Smyth County: 16.5 %Smyth County16.5Fredericksburg city: 16.4 %Fredericksburg city16.4Carroll County: 16.2 %Carroll County16.2Lexington city: 15.9 %Lexington city15.9Radford city: 33.7 %Radford city33.7Lee County: 27.6 %Lee County27.6Norton city: 25.7 %Norton city25.7Harrisonburg city: 25.6 %Harrisonburg city25.6Danville city: 25 %Danville city25Charlotte County: 24.6 %Charlotte County24.6Buchanan County: 23.9 %Buchanan County23.9Hopewell city: 23.8 %Hopewell city23.8Montgomery County: 23.8 %Montgomery County23.8Covington city: 23.6 %Covington city23.6Galax city: 23.4 %Galax city23.4Charlottesville city: 22.6 %Charlottesville city22.6Buena Vista city: 22 %Buena Vista city22Martinsville city: 21.8 %Martinsville city21.8Prince Edward County: 21.6 %Prince Edward County21.6Bath County: 21.1 %Bath County21.1Petersburg city: 21.1 %Petersburg city21.1Dickenson County: 20.2 %Dickenson County20.2Roanoke city: 19.7 %Roanoke city19.7Winchester city: 19.3 %Winchester city19.3Tazewell County: 19.3 %Tazewell County19.3Nottoway County: 18.9 %Nottoway County18.9Richmond city: 18.8 %Richmond city18.8King and Queen County: 18.5 %King and Queen County18.5Bristol city: 18.3 %Bristol city18.3Russell County: 18.1 %Russell County18.1Grayson County: 18 %Grayson County18Scott County: 18 %Scott County18Halifax County: 18 %Halifax County18Wise County: 17.7 %Wise County17.7Portsmouth city: 17.6 %Portsmouth city17.6Lynchburg city: 17.4 %Lynchburg city17.4Mecklenburg County: 17.4 %Mecklenburg County17.4Norfolk city: 17.3 %Norfolk city17.3Northampton County: 17.1 %Northampton County17.1Franklin city: 16.7 %Franklin city16.7Smyth County: 16.5 %Smyth County16.5Fredericksburg city: 16.4 %Fredericksburg city16.4Carroll County: 16.2 %Carroll County16.2Lexington city: 15.9 %Lexington city15.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Radford city33.7-0.1 pts
2Lee County27.6+1.6 pts
3Norton city25.7-3.4 pts
4Harrisonburg city25.6-1.6 pts
5Danville city25-0.3 pts
6Charlotte County24.6+4.3 pts
7Buchanan County23.9-1.3 pts
8Hopewell city23.8+2.5 pts
9Montgomery County23.8-1.1 pts
10Covington city23.6+6.7 pts
11Galax city23.4+1 pts
12Charlottesville city22.6-1 pts
13Buena Vista city220 pts
14Martinsville city21.8-2.7 pts
15Prince Edward County21.6+3.5 pts
16Bath County21.1-2.6 pts
17Petersburg city21.1-1.1 pts
18Dickenson County20.2-2.3 pts
19Roanoke city19.7+0.6 pts
20Winchester city19.3+2.4 pts
21Tazewell County19.3+1.1 pts
22Nottoway County18.9-0.2 pts
23Richmond city18.8-0.6 pts
24King and Queen County18.5-1.5 pts
25Bristol city18.3+1.3 pts
26Russell County18.1-1.2 pts
27Grayson County18-0.7 pts
28Scott County18+1 pts
29Halifax County18+3.3 pts
30Wise County17.7-2.2 pts
31Portsmouth city17.6+0.2 pts
32Lynchburg city17.4-0.1 pts
33Mecklenburg County17.4-1.4 pts
34Norfolk city17.3+0.4 pts
35Northampton County17.1+0.3 pts
36Franklin city16.7-2.1 pts
37Smyth County16.5-2.3 pts
38Fredericksburg city16.4-1.6 pts
39Carroll County16.2+1 pts
40Lexington city15.9-0.7 pts
41Lunenburg County15.9+2.9 pts
42Wythe County15.6-1.6 pts
43Essex County15.5-1.6 pts
44Brunswick County15.3-1.9 pts
45Newport News city15.1+0.5 pts
46Pittsylvania County15-1.4 pts
47Accomack County14.9-1 pts
48Henry County14.8-1.3 pts
49Pulaski County14.6+1.5 pts
50Nelson County14.4+1.1 pts
51Williamsburg city14.1+0.5 pts
52Craig County14+3.1 pts
53Westmoreland County13.8-2.2 pts
54Buckingham County13.7-0.3 pts
55Emporia city13.5-3.8 pts
55Greensville County13.5+0.6 pts
57Lancaster County13.1-0.9 pts
58Alleghany County13.1-0.6 pts
59Hampton city13-0.4 pts
60Bland County12.7+1.9 pts
61Staunton city12.6+1.1 pts
62Shenandoah County12.3-0.2 pts
63Appomattox County12.3-1.5 pts
64Sussex County12.1-0.6 pts
65Greene County11.7+0.6 pts
66Waynesboro city11.7-4.4 pts
67Surry County11.6-1.8 pts
68Caroline County11.6-0 pts
69Franklin County11.5-1.7 pts
70Charles City County11.4-1.1 pts
71Warren County11.3-0.6 pts
72Amelia County11.1-0 pts
73Washington County11-1 pts
74Salem city10.9+1.2 pts
75Patrick County10.8-0.6 pts
76Amherst County10.8-0.5 pts
77Dinwiddie County10.7-0.4 pts
78Northumberland County10.3-4.5 pts
79Highland County10.3+0.1 pts
80Campbell County10.1+0.1 pts
81Louisa County10.1-0.8 pts
82Orange County10.1-2.9 pts
83Fairfax city9.9-0.1 pts
84Suffolk city9.9+0.4 pts
85Colonial Heights city9.6-0.7 pts
86Rockingham County9.6+0.8 pts
87Middlesex County9.6-0.1 pts
88Page County9.5-0.5 pts
89Rappahannock County9.5+1.8 pts
90Richmond County9.3+1.8 pts
91Giles County8.9-0.8 pts
92Chesapeake city8.7+1 pts
93Southampton County8.7+0.3 pts
94Henrico County8.40 pts
95Alexandria city8.4-0.4 pts
96Virginia Beach city8.4+0.3 pts
97Floyd County8.3-1.1 pts
98Culpeper County8.2+0.8 pts
99Bedford County8.1-1 pts
100Prince George County8-0.2 pts
101Rockbridge County8-0.9 pts
102King William County7.9-0.1 pts
103Mathews County7.9+1 pts
104Fluvanna County7.7+1.7 pts
105Cumberland County7.7-0.3 pts
106Isle of Wight County7.4-2.4 pts
107Augusta County7.3-0.8 pts
108Roanoke County7.3+0.2 pts
109Arlington County7.1+0.5 pts
110Frederick County7.1+0.3 pts
111Madison County7.1-0.9 pts
112Spotsylvania County7-0.4 pts
113Chesterfield County6.9+0.2 pts
113Clarke County6.9+1.4 pts
115Gloucester County6.8-0.7 pts
116Albemarle County6.8-0.3 pts
117Manassas city6.7+2 pts
118King George County6.5-0.4 pts
119James City County6.5-0.8 pts
120Fauquier County6.2+0.3 pts
121Prince William County6.1+0.1 pts
122Botetourt County6.1-1.1 pts
123Fairfax County5.9-0 pts
124Manassas Park city5.8+0.7 pts
125Poquoson city5.8+1.3 pts
126York County5.4+0.6 pts
127New Kent County5.2+1.3 pts
128Hanover County5.20 pts
129Stafford County5.1-0.3 pts
130Loudoun County4+0.2 pts
131Goochland County3.9-0.4 pts
132Falls Church city3.6+1.3 pts
133Powhatan County3.3-1.3 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 counties 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. 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 (Counties 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, Counties 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-counties?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. Counties 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-counties?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, Counties 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-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_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: Counties 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-counties?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. 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: Counties 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-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/virginia-counties?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. 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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Questions

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

Radford city, with 33.7% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Powhatan County, with 3.3% 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Virginia: more rankings