Big Stone Gap East, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 567, Big Stone Gap East's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Big Stone Gap East is a small community located in Virginia, within Wise County. The total population is 567. It ranks as the 458th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Big Stone Gap East is 55.2 years. This is 42% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 8.1% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Big Stone Gap East is $20,938. This is 78% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 74% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 33.0%. This is 233% 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 22.4%. This is 427% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $168,100. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.0x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 37.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 45% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Big Stone Gap East has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.4% of all residents. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.4% vs 58.4%).

Education

7.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 81% lower than the state rate of 42.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 79.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Big Stone Gap East, Virginia is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Virginia state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 681 Census-designated places in Virginia. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.