Lee County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lee County is located in Virginia with a total population of 22,042. It is the 77th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lee County is 45.4 years. This is 17% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lee County is $42,269. This is 54% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 27.6%. This is 178% 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 9.3%. This is 115% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $98,700. Housing costs are 73% lower than the state median of $360,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Lee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Lee County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.8% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.8% vs 59.0%). The Black or African American population (4.1%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

12.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 69% 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 82.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lee 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.