Roanoke, VA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2020 Population

313,289

0.0895% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

42.9

0.234% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

12.5%

3% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$57,642

1.85% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$183,800

2.05% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

148,287

0.513% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Roanoke, VA had a population of 313k people with a median age of 42.9 and a median household income of $57,642. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Roanoke, VA grew from 313,009 to 313,289, a 0.0895% increase and its median household income grew from $56,596 to $57,642, a 1.85% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Roanoke, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (78%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (13%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.35%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.27%), and White (Hispanic) (2.22%).

None of the households in Roanoke, 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.

97.4% of the residents in Roanoke, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Roanoke, VA are Virginia Western Community College (233949) (1,016 degrees awarded in 2020), Roanoke College (233426) (479 degrees), and American National University (336 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Roanoke, VA was $183,800, and the homeownership rate was 68.9%.

Most people in Roanoke, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Roanoke, VA was 2 cars per household.

Roanoke, VA borders Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, Danville, VA, Lynchburg, VA, and Martinsville, VA.

Photo by Donnie Nunley

Population & Diversity

Roanoke, VA is home to a population of 313k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2020, 4.77% of Roanoke, VA residents were born outside of the country (14.9k people).

In 2020, there were 5.99 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (244k people) in Roanoke, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 40.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 7.38k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.4%

2020 Citizenship

97.4%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 97.4% of Roanoke, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Roanoke, VA was 97.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Roanoke, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
244k ± 232
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
40.8k ± 860
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
7.38k ± 405

3.96%

Hispanic Population

12.4k people

3.96% of the people in Roanoke, VA are hispanic (12.4k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA 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

4.77%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

14.9k people

4.75%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

14.9k people

As of 2020, 4.77% of Roanoke, VA residents (14.9k 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 Roanoke, VA was 4.75%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
7,646 ± 630
Gulf War (2001-)
3,449 ± 479
Gulf War (1990s)
3,094 ± 490

Roanoke, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.22 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Roanoke, VA employs 148k people. The largest industries in Roanoke, VA are Health Care & Social Assistance (24,822 people), Retail Trade (16,919 people), and Manufacturing (16,353 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($64,060), Utilities ($51,504), and Public Administration ($50,690).

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

148k

2020 Value

± 3,136

−0.513%

1 Year decline

± 2.91%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Roanoke, VA declined at a rate of −0.513%, from 149k employees to 148k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Roanoke, VA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (18,042 people), Sales & Related Occupations (15,028 people), and Management Occupations (14,665 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Roanoke, 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

148k

2020 Value

± 3,136

−0.513%

1 Year decline

± 2.91%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Roanoke, VA declined at a rate of −0.513%, from 149k employees to 148k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Roanoke, VA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (24,822 people), Retail Trade (16,919 people), and Manufacturing (16,353 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Roanoke, VA, though some of these residents may live in Roanoke, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,794

Median earning men ± $1,194

$32,717

Median earning women ± $860

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($53,744), Public Administration ($52,743), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($52,486).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($49,754), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($41,149), and Construction ($40,608).

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

2,825
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,310
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
1,740
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

$3.12M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$2.99M
Manufacturing
$1.51M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

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

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.

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 Roanoke, VA awarded 2,310 degrees. The student population of Roanoke, VA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 3,921 male students and 6,567 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Roanoke, VA are White (1,653 and 72.6%), followed by Black or African American (254 and 11.2%), Hispanic or Latino (105 and 4.61%), and Unknown (102 and 4.48%).

The largest universities in Roanoke, VA by number of degrees awarded are Virginia Western Community College (233949) (1,016 and 44%), Roanoke College (233426) (479 and 20.7%), and American National University (336 and 14.5%).

The most popular majors in Roanoke, VA are General Business Administration & Management (199 and 8.61%), General Studies (103 and 4.46%), and Biological & Physical Sciences (103 and 4.46%).

The median tuition cost in Roanoke, VA for private four year colleges is $39,360.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Roanoke, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 78.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 10.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 10,488 (37.4% men and 62.6% 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 10,488 students enrolled in Roanoke, VA, 37.4% men and 62.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 7,160 records, of which 61.2% were women and 38.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
63 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
56 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
108 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Roanoke, VA was General Psychology with 63 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Virginia Western Community College (233949)
1,016 degrees awarded
Roanoke College (233426)
479 degrees awarded
American National University
336 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Virginia Western Community College (233949) with 1,016 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 726 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Roanoke, VA, which is 0.458 times less than the 1,584 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 1,653 degrees mean that there were 6.51 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 254 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 ($39,360) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($750) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($1,500) 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 Roanoke, VA was $183,800 in 2020, which is 0.8 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $180,100 to $183,800, a 2.05% increase. The homeownership rate in Roanoke, VA is 68.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Roanoke, VA have an average commute time of 24.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Roanoke, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Roanoke, VA is $57,642. In 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Roanoke, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $147,111, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $146,922 and $127,866.

Housing

Property

$183,800

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,529

$88,119

Median Property Taxes

±$2,140

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

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

Rent vs Own

68.9%

Homeownership

2020

68.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 68.9% of the housing units in Roanoke, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Roanoke, 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)

In 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Roanoke, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $147,111, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $146,922 and $127,866.

The following map shows all of the counties in Roanoke, 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.

$57,642

Median Household Income

± $1,191

128k

Number of Households

± 2,792

In 2020, the median household income of the 128k households in Roanoke, VA grew to $57,642 from the previous year's value of $56,596.

The following chart displays the households in Roanoke, 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 Roanoke, 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 2018

Drove Alone (82.4%)
Carpooled (7.89%)
Worked At Home (5.11%)

In 2018, 82.4% of workers in Roanoke, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.89%) and those who worked at home (5.11%).

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

24.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Roanoke, VA have a shorter commute time (24.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.63% of the workforce in Roanoke, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Roanoke, VA (38k out of 305k 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 25 - 34, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Roanoke, VA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

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.

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.

Health

92.1% of the population of Roanoke, VA has health coverage, with 50% on employee plans, 12.8% on Medicaid, 17.1% on Medicare, 10.1% on non-group plans, and 2.15% 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 Virginia see 1325 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.455% increase from the previous year (1319 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1409 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 531 patients per year.

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

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

1,325 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Virginia

Primary care physicians in Virginia see an average of 1,325 patients per year. This represents a 0.455% increase from the previous year (1,319 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Virginia 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 22% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 39.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.9% were men and 53.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.88%

Uninsured

50%

Employer Coverage

12.8%

Medicaid

17.1%

Medicare

10.1%

Non-Group

2.15%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Roanoke, VA grew by 1.7% from 7.75% to 7.88%.

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