Bath County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Bath County is located in Virginia with a total population of 4,123. It is the 131st most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bath County is 52.3 years. This is 35% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 12.7% 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 Bath County is $61,709. This is 32% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 21.1%. This is 113% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 2.0%. This is 53% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $206,000. Housing costs are 43% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 75.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Bath County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.5% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (90.5% vs 59.0%). The Black or African American population (3.8%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.4%) 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 63% 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 84.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Bath 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.