Lancaster County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lancaster County is located in Virginia with a total population of 10,876. It is the 112th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lancaster County is 59.1 years. This is 52% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 14.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 18.3% 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 Lancaster County is $67,169. This is 26% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 13.1%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 10.0%. This is 133% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $307,600. Housing costs are 15% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 79.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lancaster County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 67.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 27.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

37.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% 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 87.0%. Notably, 15.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lancaster 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.