Lancaster County, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Lancaster 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.
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B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around average
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B
Education Around averageBetter educated than 79% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,936 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 47.3 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.13% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 56.2 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,701 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Lancaster County declined by 4.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,936 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Lancaster County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 33.1% of residents. That is 16.6 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,435 13.1% -8.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,333 12.2% -10.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,310 21.1% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,619 33.1% +16.6 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 53.1% of the people living in Lancaster County and men 46.9%.
- Women 53.1% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 46.9% Virginia 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Lancaster County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Lancaster County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,726 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.64% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.5% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Lancaster County is about 23% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $307,530 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,033 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.5% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Lancaster County is about 24.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,033 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Lancaster 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 172 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.6 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.2 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 172 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,319 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 14.8% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,665 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 586 | 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 Lancaster County 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
Lancaster County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.9% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.87 | 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
Lancaster County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.4 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.0% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.5% | 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).
Lancaster County, VA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Lancaster County, VA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County, VA | 10,936 | $71,726 #2/2 | $307,530 #1/2 | 20.6 min #1/2 |
| Gloucester County, VA | 39,526 | $83,842 | $180,357 | 32.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lancaster County, Virginia.
How many people live in Lancaster County, Virginia?
About 10,936 people live in Lancaster County, Virginia, in 5,701 households of 1.9 people on average. The median age is 56.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 19 years.
Is Lancaster County, Virginia urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Lancaster County, Virginia has 47 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 55% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Lancaster County, Virginia?
The median home costs 4.3 times the median household income ($307,530 against $71,726), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,033 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Lancaster County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Lancaster County, Virginia is 9.5%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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