Mathews County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Mathews County is located in Virginia with a total population of 8,517. It is the 118th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mathews County is 53.8 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 15.1% 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 Mathews County is $75,487. This is 17% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 4% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 7.9%. This is 21% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. This is 38% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $348,800. Housing costs are 3% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 85.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Mathews County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 8.4%. The Black or African American population (8.4%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 10.7%.

Education

30.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% 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 91.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Mathews 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.