New River, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 268, New River'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

New River is a small community located in Virginia, within Pulaski County. The total population is 268. It ranks as the 552nd most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in New River is 60.5 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in New River is $41,628. This is 55% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.6%. This is 74% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in New River, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $133,600. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 76.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in New River is Black or African American, making up 77.6% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 16.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (16.0%) is well below the state average of 58.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (77.6% vs 18.3%).

Education

48.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 16% 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 95.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for New River, 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.