Highland County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Highland County is located in Virginia with a total population of 2,265. It is the 133rd most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Highland County is 57.1 years. This is 47% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 13.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 15.6% 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 Highland County is $62,946. This is 31% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 10.3%. This is 4% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 16.0%. This is 273% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $195,700. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 88.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Highland County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.4% of all residents. Asian residents account for 3.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.4% vs 59.0%). The Asian population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

35.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% 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 89.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Highland County 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.