Northumberland County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Northumberland County is located in Virginia with a total population of 12,085. It is the 108th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Northumberland County is 59.5 years. This is 53% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 14.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 17.9% 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 Northumberland County is $69,500. This is 24% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 12% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 10.3%. This is 4% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $333,100. Housing costs are 8% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 89.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Northumberland County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 68.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 19.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.3%) is well below the state average of 10.7%.

Education

33.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 18% 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 90.4%. Notably, 16.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Northumberland 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.