Emporia city, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Emporia city, 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.
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D
Health Well below averageLeast healthy county in Virginia
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F
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Virginia
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 94% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Emporia city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,517 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 791.4 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.01% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.6 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,145 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Emporia city declined by 1.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 5,517 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Emporia city is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.1% of residents. That is 0.3 points below Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,162 21.1% -0.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,019 18.5% -3.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,102 20.0% -0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 908 16.5% on par
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 53.3% of the people living in Emporia city and men 46.7%.
- Women 53.3% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 46.7% Virginia 49.4%
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Economy
Emporia city has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Emporia city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,266 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 9.20% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Emporia city is about 43% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Emporia city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $187,500 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,037 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 38.2% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Emporia city is about 15.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,037 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Emporia city spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 174 hours, about 7.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Emporia city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.9 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.7 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 174 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,388 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,577 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 618 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Virginia:
Lexington city (10.6 min), Covington city (12.2 min), Norton city (13.1 min).
Slowest:
Amelia County (43.7 min), Craig County (41.3 min), Buckingham County (41.3 min).
The average commute time in Emporia city is 21 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
Emporia city has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Emporia city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 2.52 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.6), Arlington County (0.6), Alexandria city (0.5).
Lowest:
Greensville County (0.2), Lunenburg County (0.2), Buchanan County (0.2).
Health
Emporia city has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Emporia city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 71.3 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 27.9% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 25.0% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.8), Arlington County (0.8), Fairfax County (0.8).
Lowest:
Emporia city (0.7), Petersburg city (0.8), Galax city (0.8).
Emporia city, VA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Emporia city, VA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emporia city, VA | 5,517 | $53,266 #2/2 | $187,500 #2/2 | 20.9 min #1/2 |
| Dinwiddie County, VA | 28,193 | $82,400 | $260,472 | 30.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Emporia city, Virginia.
How big is Emporia city, Virginia by population?
About 5,517 people live in Emporia city, Virginia, in 2,145 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.6, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Emporia city, Virginia mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Emporia city, Virginia has 791 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 9.2 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Emporia city, Virginia?
The median home costs 3.5 times the median household income ($187,500 against $53,266), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,037 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Emporia city, Virginia?
Unemployment in Emporia city, Virginia is only 2.9%, 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 Emporia city, Virginia?
15.1% of adults in Emporia city, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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