Melfa, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 468, Melfa'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

Melfa is a small community located in Virginia, within Accomack County. The total population is 468. It ranks as the 489th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Melfa is 29.8 years. This is 24% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. With 39.3% of the population under 18, Melfa has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Melfa is $28,958. This is 69% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 64% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.6%. This is 148% 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 3.2%. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $174,300. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 6.0x. 56.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Melfa is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 20.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.6%) is well below the state average of 11.0%.

Education

28.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% 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 93.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Melfa, 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.