Charlottesville, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Charlottesville, VA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
-
C
Income Below average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Charlottesville | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,436 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4427.2 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.05% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 30.9 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 19,814 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Charlottesville grew by 9.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 45,436 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Charlottesville is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 33.6% of residents. That is 12.2 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 15,272 33.6% +12.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 10,270 22.6% +0.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,456 16.4% -4.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,495 12.1% -4.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.6% of the people living in Charlottesville and men 48.4%.
- Women 51.6% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 48.4% Virginia 49.4%
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Economy
Charlottesville has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Charlottesville | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,881 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.97% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Charlottesville is about 20% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Charlottesville | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $454,651 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,540 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 44.2% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Charlottesville is about 24.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,540 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Charlottesville spend about 30 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 127 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Charlottesville | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.2 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.5 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 127 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,939 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 21.4% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 10,948 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,878 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Charlottesville is 15 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Charlottesville has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Charlottesville | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.1% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.14 | 2.52 | 2.53 |
Health
Charlottesville has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Charlottesville | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.1 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.5% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.7% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Charlottesville, Virginia.
How many people live in Charlottesville, Virginia?
About 45,436 people live in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 19,814 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 30.9, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is Charlottesville, Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Charlottesville, Virginia has 4,427 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 51 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Charlottesville, Virginia?
The median home costs 6.1 times the median household income ($454,651 against $74,881), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,540 a month takes about 25% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Charlottesville, Virginia?
Unemployment in Charlottesville, Virginia is only 3.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Charlottesville, Virginia?
50.1% of adults in Charlottesville, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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