Opal, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 984, Opal'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

Opal is a small community located in Virginia, within Fauquier County. The total population is 984. It ranks as the 387th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Opal is 27.7 years. This is 29% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Opal is $181,932. This is 95% higher than the state median of $93,170. It is also 125% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.7%. This is 72% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 1.0%. This is 76% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $625,800. Housing costs are 63% higher than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 98.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 46% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Opal is White (non-Hispanic), making up 55.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 35.9%. The Black or African American population (6.5%) is well below the state average of 18.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (35.9% vs 11.0%).

Education

36.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% 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 83.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Opal, 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.