Shipman, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 472, Shipman'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

Shipman is a small community located in Virginia, within Nelson County. The total population is 472. It ranks as the 488th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Shipman is 42.1 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. With 29.4% of the population under 18, Shipman has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Shipman is $49,301. This is 47% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.0%. This is 112% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Shipman, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $234,700. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 52.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Shipman is White (non-Hispanic), making up 55.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 42.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (42.6% vs 18.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 11.0%.

Education

6.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 84% 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 Shipman, 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.