Charles City County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Charles City County is located in Virginia with a total population of 6,686. It is the 123rd most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Charles City County is 52.6 years. This is 36% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 14.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 10.2% 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 Charles City County is $70,339. This is 23% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 11.4%. This is 15% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 14% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $224,100. Housing costs are 38% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 85.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Charles City County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Black or African American residents account for 40.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (40.3% vs 18.4%). The Hispanic or Latino population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

16.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 61% 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 88.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Charles City 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.