Wachapreague, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 306, Wachapreague'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

Wachapreague is a small community located in Virginia, within Accomack County. The total population is 306. It ranks as the 532nd most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wachapreague is 58.0 years. This is 49% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 9.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 19.6% 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 Wachapreague is $65,179. This is 30% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 19% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.5%. This is 34% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 13.9%. This is 226% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $205,800. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 78.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wachapreague has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (88.9% vs 58.4%). The Asian population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

30.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% 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 97.3%. Notably, 16.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wachapreague, 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.