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Clarke County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Clarke County, Virginia has a population of 15,216, the 98th most populous county in Virginia. The median household income is $117,111 and the median home value is $550,100. The poverty rate is 7.0%.

Clarke County Quick Facts

Population 15,216
Median Household Income $117,111
Median Home Value $550,100
Poverty Rate 7.0%
Unemployment Rate 2.7%
Median Age 48.4 years
Homeownership Rate 81.5%
Affordability Ratio 4.7x
Bachelor's Degree+ 39.8%
High School Graduation 92.9%
Cities/Places 3
Population 15,216 98th of 133
Median Income $117,111 26% higher than state
Poverty Rate 7.0%
Unemployment 2.7%

How Clarke County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population15,06015,216+1.0%
Median household income$114,185$117,111+2.6%
Median home value$538,900$550,100+2.1%

Median Household Income

Clarke
$117,111
VA
$93,170
National
$80,734

Median Home Value

Clarke
$550,100
VA
$383,700
National
$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.5%
$25K-$50K 9.3%
$50K-$100K 25.3%
$100K+ 53.9%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
3.3%
$10K-$15K
2.5%
$15K-$20K
4.0%
$20K-$25K
1.8%
$25K-$30K
1.2%
$30K-$35K
1.9%
$35K-$40K
2.9%
$40K-$45K
0.8%
$45K-$50K
2.4%
$50K-$60K
4.5%
$60K-$75K
8.9%
$75K-$100K
11.9%
$100K-$125K
8.2%
$125K-$150K
10.6%
$150K-$200K
15.4%
$200K+
19.7%

Employment

2.7% Unemployment Rate State: 4.3%|National: 5.2%
59.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.5%
Renter 18.5%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.7x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,371/mo 14.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18
19.6%
18-34
15.9%
35-54
24.5%
55-74
30.6%
75+
9.5%

Race & Ethnicity

  • White: 82.0%
  • Black: 5.4%
  • Hispanic: 7.8%
  • Asian: 0.9%
  • Other: 0.9%

Diversity Index

32out of 100
Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

  • < HS: 7.1%
  • HS Diploma: 26.1%
  • Some College: 19.9%
  • Associate's: 7.0%
  • Bachelor's: 24.6%
  • Graduate+: 15.3%

Cities & Places in Clarke County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Berryville4,707$102,78810.6%$550,500
Boyce891$88,6162.8%$425,000
Shenandoah Retreat592$96,5910.2%$409,100

Population Overview

Clarke County is located in Virginia with a total population of 15,216. It is the 98th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clarke County is 48.4 years. This is 24% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clarke County is $117,111. This is 26% higher than the state median of $93,170. It is also 45% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.0%. This is 29% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 2.7%. This is 36% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $550,100. Housing costs are 43% higher than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.7x. 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Clarke County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.8%. The Black or African American population (5.4%) is well below the state average of 18.3%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

39.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 6% 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 92.9%. Notably, 15.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Clarke County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Clarke County, Virginia?

Clarke County has a population of 15,216, making it the 98th most populous county in Virginia.

What is the median income in Clarke County?

The median household income in Clarke County is $117,111 with a poverty rate of 7.0%.

How many cities are in Clarke County, Virginia?

Clarke County contains 3 Census-designated places.