Onancock, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Onancock is a small community located in Virginia, within Accomack County. The total population is 1,433. It ranks as the 328th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Onancock is 44.5 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 13.3% 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 Onancock is $54,500. This is 42% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.3%. This is 116% 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 3.0%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $294,400. Housing costs are 23% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.4x. 60.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Onancock is White (non-Hispanic), making up 54.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 37.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (37.8% vs 18.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.4%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

40.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 5% 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 90.0%. Notably, 23.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Onancock, 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.