Rappahannock County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rappahannock County is located in Virginia with a total population of 7,409. It is the 121st most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rappahannock County is 50.1 years. This is 29% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 11.5% 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 Rappahannock County is $98,125. This is 8% higher than the state median of $90,974. It is also 25% higher than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 9.5%. This is 5% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 7.3%. This is 69% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $490,200. Housing costs are 36% higher than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.0x. 77.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rappahannock County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.8%. The Black or African American population (4.8%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.5%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

35.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% 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 91.8%. Notably, 15.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rappahannock 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.