Vansant, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 551, Vansant'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

Vansant is a small community located in Virginia, within Buchanan County. The total population is 551. It ranks as the 467th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Vansant is 30.3 years. This is 22% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. 18.7% 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 Vansant is $31,595. This is 66% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 61% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.4%. This is 157% 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 Vansant, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $101,700. Housing costs are 73% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 51.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Vansant is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 21.6%.

Education

36.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 13% 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 80.0%. Notably, 20.0% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Vansant, 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.