Monterey, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 197, Monterey'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

Monterey is a small community located in Virginia, within Highland County. The total population is 197. It ranks as the 579th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Monterey is 67.1 years. This is 72% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 10.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 40.6% 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 Monterey is $60,849. This is 35% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.2%. This is 3% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Monterey, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $169,700. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $383,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Monterey is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Monterey has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.9% of all residents. Asian residents account for 3.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.9% vs 58.4%). The Asian population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

73.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Monterey in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 75% higher 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 96.4%. Notably, 16.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Monterey, 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.