Galax, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Galax is located in Virginia with a total population of 6,698. It is the 122nd most populous county out of 133 in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Galax is 41.9 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Galax is $41,438. This is 54% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 23.4%. This is 136% 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 5.5%. This is 27% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $126,800. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 61.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Galax is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.8%. The Black or African American population (4.9%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

18.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 83.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Galax 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.