Rockbridge County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rockbridge County is located in Virginia with a total population of 22,578. It is the 75th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rockbridge County is 49.7 years. This is 28% 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 Rockbridge County is $63,975. This is 30% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 19% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 8.0%. This is 19% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $238,700. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $360,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rockbridge County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.2% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (89.2% vs 59.0%). The Black or African American population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

31.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% 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 91.0%. Notably, 15.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rockbridge 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.