Alleghany County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Alleghany County is located in Virginia with a total population of 14,962. It is the 99th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alleghany County is 48.1 years. This is 24% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 11.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Alleghany County is $55,160. This is 39% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 13.1%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 2.5%. This is 41% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $122,300. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $360,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Alleghany County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Alleghany County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.4% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 5.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.4% vs 59.0%). The Black or African American population (5.5%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 62% lower than the state rate of 41.5%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Alleghany County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Virginia and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.