Richmond, VA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

1.3M

1.65% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

38.8

0.257% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

10.2%

2.61% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$74,592

4.73% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$262,900

6.22% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

661,779

1.82% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Richmond, VA had a population of 1.3M people with a median age of 38.8 and a median household income of $74,592. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Richmond, VA grew from 1.28M to 1.3M, a 1.65% increase and its median household income grew from $71,223 to $74,592, a 4.73% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Richmond, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (56.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (28.8%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.01%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.39%), and White (Hispanic) (2.75%).

None of the households in Richmond, 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.

95.7% of the residents in Richmond, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Richmond, VA are Virginia Commonwealth University (234030) (7,933 degrees awarded in 2021), Brightpoint Community College (1,607 degrees), and J Sargeant Reynolds Community College (1,423 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Richmond, VA was $262,900, and the homeownership rate was 66.4%.

Most people in Richmond, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Richmond, VA was 2 cars per household.

Richmond, VA borders Charlottesville, VA, Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

About the photo: Skyline at Night, Richmond, VA

Photo by Will Fisher

United States Virginia

Population & Diversity

Richmond, VA is home to a population of 1.3M people, from which 95.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 8.12% of Richmond, VA residents were born outside of the country (106k people).

In 2021, there were 1.96 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (736k people) in Richmond, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 376k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 52.3k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.7%

2021 Citizenship

95.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.7% of Richmond, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Richmond, VA was 95.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Richmond, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
736k ± 1.09k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
376k ± 1.95k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
52.3k ± 990

6.72%

Hispanic Population

87.6k people

6.72% of the people in Richmond, VA are hispanic (87.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Richmond, 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
109,039 ± 8,055 people
India
96,011 ± 7,565 people
Mexico
59,097 ± 5,948 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 109,039 Virginia residents, followed by India with 96,011 and Mexico with 59,097.

Foreign-Born Population

8.12%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

106k people

2020 Foreign-Born Population

103k people

As of 2021, 8.12% of Richmond, VA residents (106k 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 Richmond, VA was 8%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
24,372 ± 1,043
Gulf War (2001-)
21,243 ± 1,381
Gulf War (1990s)
16,320 ± 965

Richmond, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.15 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Richmond, VA employs 662k people. The largest industries in Richmond, VA are Health Care & Social Assistance (92,964 people), Retail Trade (71,326 people), and Educational Services (60,346 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($84,696), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($78,511), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($73,635).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $63,894. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.476, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

662k

2021 Value

± 6,730

1.82%

1 Year growth

± 1.41%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Richmond, VA grew at a rate of 1.82%, from 650k employees to 662k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Richmond, VA, are Management Occupations (75,882 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (73,674 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (66,076 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Richmond, 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

662k

2021 Value

± 6,730

1.82%

1 Year growth

± 1.41%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Richmond, VA grew at a rate of 1.82%, from 650k employees to 662k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Richmond, VA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (92,964 people), Retail Trade (71,326 people), and Educational Services (60,346 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Richmond, VA, though some of these residents may live in Richmond, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,154

Median earning men ± $511

$39,391

Median earning women ± $510

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($82,779), Public Administration ($67,862), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,314).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($55,582), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,107), and Wholesale Trade ($48,201).

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

12,541
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
8,214
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
7,751
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$13.3M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$12.1M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$7.43M
Manufacturing

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

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 Virginia went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 54.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (44%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.45%).

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 Richmond, VA. Showing the available data for Virginia.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (54.1%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (44%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.45%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 54.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (44%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.45%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Virginia 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

In 2021, universities in Richmond, VA awarded 14,864 degrees. The student population of Richmond, VA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 23,221 male students and 37,620 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Richmond, VA are White (7,166 and 49.6%), followed by Black or African American (3,539 and 24.5%), Asian (1,344 and 9.31%), and Hispanic or Latino (1,190 and 8.24%).

The largest universities in Richmond, VA by number of degrees awarded are Virginia Commonwealth University (234030) (7,933 and 53.4%), Brightpoint Community College (1,607 and 10.8%), and J Sargeant Reynolds Community College (1,423 and 9.57%).

The most popular majors in Richmond, VA are General Psychology (809 and 5.44%), Registered Nursing (733 and 4.93%), and General Business Administration & Management (664 and 4.47%).

The median tuition costs in Richmond, VA are $28,130 for private four year colleges, and $8,817 and $24,642 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Richmond, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 74.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 60,841 (38.2% men and 61.8% 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 2021 there were 60,841 students enrolled in Richmond, VA, 38.2% men and 61.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 26,646 records, of which 60.1% were women and 39.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Health Teacher Education
428 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
760 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
606 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Richmond, VA was Health Teacher Education with 428 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Virginia Commonwealth University (234030)
7,933 degrees awarded
Brightpoint Community College
1,607 degrees awarded
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
1,423 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Virginia Commonwealth University (234030) with 7,933 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 5,475 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Richmond, VA, which is 0.583 times less than the 9,389 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,166 degrees mean that there were 2.02 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3,539 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

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($28,130) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,274) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($2,261) 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 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 Richmond, VA was $262,900 in 2021, which is 1.07 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $247,500 to $262,900, a 6.22% increase. The homeownership rate in Richmond, VA is 66.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Richmond, VA have an average commute time of 25.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Richmond, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Richmond, VA is $74,592. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Richmond, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $156,821, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $155,071 and $133,974.

Housing

Property

$262,900

Median Property Value 2021

±$1,745

$336,559

Median Property Taxes

±$4,373

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 Richmond, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

66.4%

Homeownership

2021

68.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 66.4% of the housing units in Richmond, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 66.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Richmond, 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 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Richmond, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $156,821, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $155,071 and $133,974.

The following map shows all of the counties in Richmond, 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.

$74,592

Median Household Income

± $897

507k

Number of Households

± 5,765

In 2021, the median household income of the 507k households in Richmond, VA grew to $74,592 from the previous year's value of $71,223.

The following chart displays the households in Richmond, 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 Richmond, 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 (76.2%)
Worked At Home (11.9%)
Carpooled (7.69%)

In 2021, 76.2% of workers in Richmond, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.9%) and those who carpooled to work (7.69%).

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

25.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Richmond, VA have a shorter commute time (25.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.06% of the workforce in Richmond, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

10.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Richmond, VA (129k out of 1.27M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Richmond, VA is Black, followed by White 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

92.5% of the population of Richmond, VA has health coverage, with 53.2% on employee plans, 12% on Medicaid, 11.8% on Medicare, 13.1% on non-group plans, and 2.36% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Virginia see 1310 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.13% decrease from the previous year (1325 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1393 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 484 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,310 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Virginia

Primary care physicians in Virginia see an average of 1,310 patients per year. This represents a 1.13% decrease from the previous year (1,325 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.5% under 18 years, 21.3% between 18 and 34 years, 39.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.49%

Uninsured

53.2%

Employer Coverage

12%

Medicaid

11.8%

Medicare

13.1%

Non-Group

2.36%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Richmond, VA declined by 4.71% from 7.86% to 7.49%.

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