Amherst County, VA

County

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2020 Population

31,782

0.022% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

44.9

0.223% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

10.9%

21.6% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$57,368

8.47% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$159,900

2.76% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

15,100

4.25% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Amherst County, VA had a population of 31.8k people with a median age of 44.9 and a median household income of $57,368. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Amherst County, VA grew from 31,775 to 31,782, a 0.022% increase and its median household income grew from $52,888 to $57,368, a 8.47% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Amherst County, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (74.7%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (18.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.77%), White (Hispanic) (1.81%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (0.765%).

None of the households in Amherst County, VA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.3% of the residents in Amherst County, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Amherst County, VA are Sweet Briar College (114 degrees awarded in 2020).

In 2020, the median property value in Amherst County, VA was $159,900, and the homeownership rate was 77.4%.

Most people in Amherst County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29 minutes. The average car ownership in Amherst County, VA was 2 cars per household.

Amherst County, VA borders Appomattox County, VA, Bedford County, VA, Campbell County, VA, Nelson County, VA, Rockbridge County, VA, and Lynchburg city, VA.

Population & Diversity

Amherst County, VA is home to a population of 31.8k people, from which 99.3% are citizens. As of 2020, 1.83% of Amherst County, VA residents were born outside of the country (583 people).

In 2020, there were 4.13 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (23.8k people) in Amherst County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.75k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 881 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.3%

2020 Citizenship

99.2%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 99.3% of Amherst County, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Amherst County, VA was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Amherst County, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Amherst County, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
23.8k ± 51
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
5.75k ± 249
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
881 ± 241

2.48%

Hispanic Population

787 people

2.48% of the people in Amherst County, VA are hispanic (787 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Amherst County, VA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Virginia.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
109,267 ± 8,063 people
India
94,596 ± 7,509 people
Mexico
56,409 ± 5,812 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 109,267 Virginia residents, followed by India with 94,596 and Mexico with 56,409.

Foreign-Born Population

1.83%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

583 people

1.79%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

570 people

As of 2020, 1.83% of Amherst County, VA residents (583 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Amherst County, VA was 1.79%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Amherst County, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
871 ± 181
Gulf War (1990s)
396 ± 152
Gulf War (2001-)
365 ± 150

Amherst County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.2 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Amherst County, VA employs 15.1k people. The largest industries in Amherst County, VA are Manufacturing (2,253 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,246 people), and Educational Services (2,029 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($65,231), Utilities ($64,028), and Manufacturing ($52,436).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $60,365. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.478, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

15.1k

2020 Value

± 904

4.25%

1 Year growth

± 7.92%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Amherst County, VA grew at a rate of 4.25%, from 14.5k employees to 15.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Amherst County, VA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,795 people), Production Occupations (1,363 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,346 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Amherst County, VA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

15.1k

2020 Value

± 904

4.25%

1 Year growth

± 7.92%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Amherst County, VA grew at a rate of 4.25%, from 14.5k employees to 15.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Amherst County, VA, are Manufacturing (2,253 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,246 people), and Educational Services (2,029 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Amherst County, VA, though some of these residents may live in Amherst County, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,012

Median earning men ± $2,240

$31,296

Median earning women ± $1,141

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,077), Public Administration ($55,476), and Manufacturing ($54,154).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Construction ($50,985), Public Administration ($41,895), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,168).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Virginia.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

178
Manufacturing
146
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
129
Other Services, Except Public Administration

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$240k
Manufacturing
$33.7k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$26.6k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Mixed freight
$37.3B
Electronics
$28.7B
Machinery
$25.6B

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $37.3B, followed by Electronics ($28.7B) and Machinery ($25.6B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Virginia products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Virginia.

$325B

2020 Value in Virginia

$612B

Projected 2050 Value in Virginia

88.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Virginia trade was $325B. This is expected to increase 88.1% to $612B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Virginia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Most Common Trade Partners

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $25B, followed by Maryland with $18.9B and Pennsylvania and $13.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Virginia shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Amherst County, VA went to Donald J. Trump with 64.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.48%).

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing the state of Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.4%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.48%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Amherst County, VA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Virginia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Mark Warner

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Tim Kaine

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing Virginia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Virginia

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Virginia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Amherst County, VA awarded 114 degrees. The student population of Amherst County, VA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 362 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Amherst County, VA are White (82 and 71.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12 and 10.5%), Black or African American (8 and 7.02%), and Asian (6 and 5.26%).

The largest universities in Amherst County, VA by number of degrees awarded are Sweet Briar College (114 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Amherst County, VA are General Business (14 and 12.3%), General Biological Sciences (11 and 9.65%), and Engineering Science (10 and 8.77%).

The median tuition cost in Amherst County, VA for private four year colleges is $21,900.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Amherst County, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 75.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 18.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 362 (0% men and 100% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 362 students enrolled in Amherst County, VA, 0% men and 100% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 261 records, of which 100% were women and 0% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
11 degree-majors awarded
Engineering Science
10 degree-majors awarded
General Business
14 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Amherst County, VA was General Biological Sciences with 11 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Amherst County, VA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Sweet Briar College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

114 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Sweet Briar College with 114 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 0 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Amherst County, VA, which is 0 times less than the 114 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 82 degrees mean that there were 6.83 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 12 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,900) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($800) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Measure

In 2020, 0.823% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.842% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.66M), Some college (1.42M), and Bachelors Degree (1.41M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Amherst County, VA was $159,900 in 2020, which is 0.696 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $155,600 to $159,900, a 2.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Amherst County, VA is 77.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Amherst County, VA have an average commute time of 29 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Amherst County, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Amherst County, VA is $57,368. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Amherst County, VA was Census Tract 103 with a value of $72,045, followed by Census Tract 104.02 and Census Tract 105.04, with respective values of $62,991 and $51,780.

In 2021, 12.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Amherst County, VA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 2.26%.

Housing

Property

$159,900

Median Property Value 2020

±$4,498

$9,408

Median Property Taxes

±$634

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Amherst County, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Amherst County, VA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

77.4%

Homeownership

2020

66.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 77.4% of the housing units in Amherst County, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 77.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Amherst County, VA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 103
Census Tract 104.02
Census Tract 105.04

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Amherst County, VA was Census Tract 103 with a value of $72,045, followed by Census Tract 104.02 and Census Tract 105.04, with respective values of $62,991 and $51,780.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Amherst County, VA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$57,368

Median Household Income

± $4,546

12.2k

Number of Households

± 752

In 2020, the median household income of the 12.2k households in Amherst County, VA grew to $57,368 from the previous year's value of $52,888.

The following chart displays the households in Amherst County, VA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Amherst County, VA is from Virginia.

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.479

2019 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2020, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.181% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (80.5%)
Carpooled (11.7%)
Worked At Home (3.65%)

In 2020, 80.5% of workers in Amherst County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.7%) and those who worked at home (3.65%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

29 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Amherst County, VA have a longer commute time (29 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 4.05% of the workforce in Amherst County, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Amherst County, VA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Amherst County, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Amherst County, VA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 12.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Amherst County, VA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 2.26%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Amherst County, VA (3.39k out of 31k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Amherst County, VA is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2021, 16.9% of the children was living in poverty in Amherst County, VA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 3.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 133 in Amherst County, VA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 33.9 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

91.3% of the population of Amherst County, VA has health coverage, with 51.8% on employee plans, 10.5% on Medicaid, 15.6% on Medicare, 11.7% on non-group plans, and 1.7% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Virginia was $7,556 in 2014. This is a 3.42% increase from the previous year ($7,306).

Primary care physicians in Amherst County, VA see 3958 patients per year on average, which represents a 12.3% decrease from the previous year (4513 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 4515 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 5268 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Virginia. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Virginia, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,958 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Amherst County, VA

Primary care physicians in Amherst County, VA see an average of 3,958 patients per year. This represents a 12.3% decrease from the previous year (4,513 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Amherst County, VA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Virginia across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.6% under 18 years, 18.6% between 18 and 34 years, 40.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.7%

Uninsured

51.8%

Employer Coverage

10.5%

Medicaid

15.6%

Medicare

11.7%

Non-Group

1.7%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Amherst County, VA declined by 6.86% from 9.34% to 8.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Amherst County, VA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 60.2 in Amherst County, VA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Amherst County, VA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.8% in Amherst County, VA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Amherst County, VA.

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