South Boston, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

South Boston is a small city located in Virginia, within Halifax County. The total population is 7,853. It ranks as the 158th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in South Boston is 44.2 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 12.6% 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 South Boston is $44,052. This is 53% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 26.9%. This is 171% 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 unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 23% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $171,200. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 50.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in South Boston is Black or African American, making up 50.0% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 41.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (50.0% vs 18.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (4.9%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

21.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% 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 86.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for South Boston, 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.