Drakes Branch, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 435, Drakes Branch'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

Drakes Branch is a small community located in Virginia, within Charlotte County. The total population is 435. It ranks as the 500th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Drakes Branch is 52.2 years. This is 34% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 13.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 17.5% 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 Drakes Branch is $25,938. This is 72% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 68% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.9%. This is 51% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Drakes Branch, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $111,000. Housing costs are 71% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 68.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Drakes Branch is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 35.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (35.9% vs 18.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 11.0%.

Education

14.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 66% 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 78.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Drakes Branch, 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.