Highland County, VA

County

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2024 Population

2,296

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

56.5

1.05% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

9.54%

7.44% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$65,625

4.26% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$200,000

2.2% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

914

4.58% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Highland 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.

99.8% of the residents in Highland County, VA are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Highland County, VA was $200,000, and the homeownership rate was 88.9%.

Most people in Highland County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Highland County, VA was 3 cars per household.

Highland County, VA borders Augusta County, VA, Bath County, VA, Pendleton County, WV, and Pocahontas County, WV.

United States Virginia

Population & Diversity

Highland County, VA is home to a population of 2.3k people, from which 99.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.39% of Highland County, VA residents were born outside of the country (32 people).

In 2024, there were 39.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.18k people) in Highland County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 55 Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 52 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.8%

2024 Citizenship

99.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.8% of Highland County, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Highland County, VA was 99.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Highland County, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.18k ± 76
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
55 ± 53
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
52 ± 51

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Highland 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
107,827 ± 8,012 people
India
97,961 ± 7,641 people
Mexico
63,695 ± 6,173 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 107,827 Virginia residents, followed by India with 97,961 and Mexico with 63,695.

Foreign-Born Population

1.39%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

32 people

1.19%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

27 people

As of 2024, 1.39% of Highland County, VA residents (32 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Highland County, VA was 1.19%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
41 ± 39
Vietnam
38 ± 28
Korea
16 ± 24

Highland County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.08 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Highland County, VA.

Economy

The economy of Highland County, VA employs 914 people. In 2024, the largest industries in Highland County, VA were Construction (148 people), Public Administration (119 people), and Educational Services (89 people), and the highest paying industries were Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($98,095), Utilities ($66,719), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,703).

Employment

Occupations

914

2024 Value

± 156

4.58%

1 Year growth

± 22.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Highland County, VA grew at a rate of 4.58%, from 874 employees to 914 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Highland County, VA, are Management Occupations (214 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (118 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (100 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Highland 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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

914

2024 Value

± 156

4.58%

1 Year growth

± 22.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Highland County, VA grew at a rate of 4.58%, from 874 employees to 914 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Highland County, VA, are Construction (148 people), Public Administration (119 people), and Educational Services (89 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Highland County, VA, though some of these residents may live in Highland County, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,000

Median earning men ± $11,152

$31,633

Median earning women ± $5,247

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($97,679), Public Administration ($67,159), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,469).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($120,486), Retail Trade ($63,047), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,792).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.1M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

11
Construction
10
Retail Trade
8
Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.64k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.44k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$1.09k
Finance and Insurance

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

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

Voting results are not available for Highland County, VA. Showing the available data for Virginia.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (51.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (46.1%)
Republican Party
Other (0.905%)
Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator 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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Highland County, VA was $200,000 in 2024, which is 0.601 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $195,700 to $200,000, a 2.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Highland County, VA is 88.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Highland County, VA have an average commute time of 27.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Highland County, VA is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

In 2025, 6.09% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Highland County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 3.09%.

Housing

Property

$200,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$40,223

$892

Median Property Taxes

±$153

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 Highland County, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

88.9%

Homeownership

2024

68.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 88.9% of the housing units in Highland County, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 88.1%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$65,625

Median Household Income

± $11,958

Number of Households

± 160

In 2024, the median household income of the 1k households in Highland County, VA grew to $65,625 from the previous year's value of $62,946.

The following chart displays the households in Highland 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 $50k - $60k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.472

2023 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.475

2022 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2023, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.472 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.599% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2024

Drove Alone (69.5%)
Worked At Home (21.1%)
Carpooled (6.16%)

In 2024, 69.5% of workers in Highland County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (21.1%) and those who carpooled to work (6.16%).

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

27.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Highland County, VA have a longer commute time (27.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 7.52% of the workforce in Highland County, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Highland County, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Highland County, VA have 3 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 6.09% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Highland County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 3.09%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

9.54% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Highland County, VA (219 out of 2.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Highland County, VA is White, followed by Asian 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 2025, 21% of the children was living in poverty in Highland County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.2%.

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 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 91.3 in Highland County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 34.9 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

96.1% of the population of Highland County, VA has health coverage, with 28.7% on employee plans, 17.2% on Medicaid, 30% on Medicare, 18.2% on non-group plans, and 1.96% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Highland County, VA see 742 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (742 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1150 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 468 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.2% were men and 54.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

742 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Highland County, VA

Primary care physicians in Highland County, VA see an average of 742 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (742 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 14.6% under 18 years, 17.6% between 18 and 34 years, 33.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 34.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.2% were men and 54.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.88%

Uninsured

28.7%

Employer Coverage

17.2%

Medicaid

30%

Medicare

18.2%

Non-Group

1.96%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Highland County, VA declined by 46.1% from 7.2% to 3.88%.

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