Hot Springs, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 487, Hot Springs'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

Hot Springs is a small community located in Virginia, within Bath County. The total population is 487. It ranks as the 482nd most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hot Springs is 60.3 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 2.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 18.1% 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 Hot Springs is $104,545. This is 12% higher than the state median of $93,170. It is also 29% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.4%. This is 66% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 1.8%. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $260,100. Housing costs are 32% lower than the state median of $383,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Hot Springs is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Hot Springs has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.5% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 11.5%. The Asian population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

15.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 63% 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 88.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Hot Springs, 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.