Charlottesville, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Charlottesville is located in Virginia with a total population of 45,863. It is the 38th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Charlottesville is 32.9 years. This is 15% lower than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Charlottesville is $69,829. This is 23% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 22.6%. This is 128% 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 4.7%. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $448,400. Housing costs are 24% higher than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 43.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 35% lower than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Charlottesville is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 16.8%.

Education

60.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Charlottesville in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 46% higher 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 92.6%. Notably, 33.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Charlottesville 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.