Highland County, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Highland County, 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.
-
C
Health Below average
-
C
Income Below average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Highland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,296 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 5.5 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.37% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 56.2 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,003 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Highland County declined by 4.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 2,296 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Highland County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 35.1% of residents. That is 18.5 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 290 12.6% -8.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 290 12.6% -9.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 530 23.1% +2.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 806 35.1% +18.5 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 54.0% of the people living in Highland County and men 46.0%.
- Women 54.0% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 46.0% Virginia 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Highland County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Highland County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Highland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,934 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.22% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.9% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Highland County is about 28% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Highland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $428,125 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $855 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.9% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Highland County is about 41.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $855 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Highland County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 170 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Highland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.4 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.8 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 170 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,272 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 21.1% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 180 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 91 | 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 Highland County is 20 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
Highland County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Highland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.29 | 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
Highland County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Highland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.6 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.1% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.2% | 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).
Highland County, VA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Highland County, VA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland County, VA | 2,296 | $66,934 #2/3 | $428,125 #1/3 | 20.4 min #2/3 |
| Augusta County, VA | 78,033 | $81,598 | $304,780 | 22.1 min |
| Randolph County, WV | 27,576 | $53,346 | $86,136 | 16.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Highland County, Virginia.
How many people live in Highland County, Virginia?
About 2,296 people live in Highland County, Virginia, in 1,003 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 56.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 19 years.
Is Highland County, Virginia mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Highland County, Virginia has 6 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 6% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Highland County, Virginia?
The median home costs 6.4 times the median household income ($428,125 against $66,934), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $855 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Highland County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Highland County, Virginia is 11.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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