Ripplemead, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 294, Ripplemead'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

Ripplemead is a small community located in Virginia, within Giles County. The total population is 294. It ranks as the 538th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ripplemead is 64.4 years. This is 65% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 35.7% 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 Ripplemead is $79,000. This is 15% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 2% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.5%. This is 4% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Ripplemead, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $159,600. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $383,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Ripplemead is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 49% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Ripplemead was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

22.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 46% lower than the state rate of 42.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ripplemead, 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.