Northumberland County, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Northumberland 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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C
Health Below average
-
B
Income Around average
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 70% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Northumberland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,188 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 42.7 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.08% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 58.2 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,640 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Northumberland County declined by 5.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 12,188 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Northumberland County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 35.1% of residents. That is 18.6 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,644 13.5% -7.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,495 12.3% -10.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,406 19.7% -0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,281 35.1% +18.6 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 52.8% of the people living in Northumberland County and men 47.2%.
- Women 52.8% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 47.2% Virginia 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Northumberland County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Northumberland County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Northumberland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,900 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.67% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Northumberland County is about 28% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Northumberland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $129,375 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,038 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.1% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Northumberland County is about 10.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,038 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Northumberland County spend about 47 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 197 hours, about 8.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Northumberland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.6 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.2 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 197 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,095 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.2% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 496 | 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 Northumberland County is 24 minutes, longer 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
Northumberland County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Northumberland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 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
Northumberland County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Northumberland County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.6 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.4% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.3% | 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).
Northumberland County, VA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Northumberland County, VA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northumberland County, VA | 12,188 | $66,900 #2/2 | $129,375 #2/2 | 23.6 min #2/2 |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 115,126 | $119,889 | $350,857 | 22.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Northumberland County, Virginia.
How big is Northumberland County, Virginia by population?
About 12,188 people live in Northumberland County, Virginia, in 5,640 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 58.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 21 years.
Is Northumberland County, Virginia urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Northumberland County, Virginia has 43 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 49% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Northumberland County, Virginia?
The median home costs 1.9 times the median household income ($129,375 against $66,900), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,038 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Northumberland County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Northumberland County, 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.
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