Dante, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 591, Dante'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

Dante is a small community located in Virginia, within Russell County. The total population is 591. It ranks as the 450th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dante is 53.9 years. This is 38% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 10.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dante is $33,696. This is 64% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 58% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 38.1%. This is 285% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Dante, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $81,400. Housing costs are 79% lower than the state median of $383,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Dante is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 61.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dante has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.4% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.4% vs 58.4%). The Black or African American population (4.2%) is well below the state average of 18.3%.

Education

2.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 94% 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 77.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dante, 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.