Russell County, VA

County

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2024 Population

25,538

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

46.7

0.43% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

16.7%

7.96% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$50,012

2.02% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$120,600

0.836% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

9,202

1.88% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Russell 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.

99.5% of the residents in Russell County, VA are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Russell County, VA was $120,600, and the homeownership rate was 76.3%.

Most people in Russell County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30 minutes. The average car ownership in Russell County, VA was 2 cars per household.

Russell County, VA borders Buchanan County, VA, Dickenson County, VA, Scott County, VA, Smyth County, VA, Tazewell County, VA, Washington County, VA, and Wise County, VA.

United States Virginia

Population & Diversity

Russell County, VA is home to a population of 25.5k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 0.775% of Russell County, VA residents were born outside of the country (198 people).

In 2024, there were 89.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (24.7k people) in Russell County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 277 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 190 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%

2024 Citizenship

99.7%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.5% of Russell County, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Russell County, VA was 99.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Russell County, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
24.7k ± 73
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
277 ± 80
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
190 ± 73

0.705%

Hispanic Population

180 people

0.705% of the people in Russell County, VA are hispanic (180 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Russell 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
108,778 ± 8,047 people
India
98,440 ± 7,659 people
Mexico
58,677 ± 5,927 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 108,778 Virginia residents, followed by India with 98,440 and Mexico with 58,677.

Foreign-Born Population

0.775%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

198 people

0.464%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

119 people

As of 2024, 0.775% of Russell County, VA residents (198 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 Russell County, VA was 0.464%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
416 ± 172
Gulf War (1990s)
133 ± 81
Gulf War (2001-)
128 ± 66

Russell County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.13 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Health

95.3% of the population of Russell County, VA has health coverage, with 35.1% on employee plans, 28.3% on Medicaid, 22.6% on Medicare, 7.67% on non-group plans, and 1.62% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Russell County, VA see 2,839 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,839 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 8483 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 910 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,839 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Russell County, VA

Primary care physicians in Russell County, VA see an average of 2,839 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,839 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.8% under 18 years, 16.9% between 18 and 34 years, 39.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 23.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.69%

Uninsured

35.1%

Employer Coverage

28.3%

Medicaid

22.6%

Medicare

7.67%

Non-Group

1.62%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Russell County, VA grew by 0.554% from 4.67% to 4.69%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 6.47 in Russell County, VA.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 39.4% in Russell County, VA.

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

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 8.18% in Russell County, VA.

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

Economy

The economy of Russell County, VA employs 9.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Russell County, VA were Retail Trade (1,319 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,272 people), and Educational Services (956 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($85,699), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($79,306), and Wholesale Trade ($73,750).

Employment

Occupations

9.2k

2024 Value

± 703

1.88%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Russell County, VA grew at a rate of 1.88%, from 9.03k employees to 9.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Russell County, VA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,058 people), Production Occupations (796 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (774 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Russell 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

9.2k

2024 Value

± 703

1.88%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Russell County, VA grew at a rate of 1.88%, from 9.03k employees to 9.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Russell County, VA, are Retail Trade (1,319 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,272 people), and Educational Services (956 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Russell County, VA, though some of these residents may live in Russell County, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,219

Median earning men ± $3,827

$33,576

Median earning women ± $4,028

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($63,000), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,379), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($57,500).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,976), Retail Trade ($45,590), and Manufacturing ($43,657).

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

36
Other Services (except Public Administration)
32
Health Care and Social Assistance
29
Retail Trade

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

$59.2k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$36.5k
Manufacturing
$35.4k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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 Russell 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 Russell County, VA was $120,600 in 2024, which is 0.362 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $119,600 to $120,600, a 0.836% increase. The homeownership rate in Russell County, VA is 76.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Russell County, VA have an average commute time of 30 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Russell County, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 9.03% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Russell County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.27%.

Housing

Property

$120,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$12,143

$8,141

Median Property Taxes

±$622

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 Russell County, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

76.3%

Homeownership

2024

66.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 76.3% of the housing units in Russell County, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Russell 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.

$50,012

Median Household Income

± $7,432

10.7k

Number of Households

± 771

In 2024, the median household income of the 10.7k households in Russell County, VA grew to $50,012 from the previous year's value of $49,020.

The following chart displays the households in Russell 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 Russell County, VA is from Virginia.

0.47

2024 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.472

2023 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2024, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.376% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 (79.5%)
Carpooled (14.1%)
Worked At Home (4.94%)

In 2024, 79.5% of workers in Russell County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (14.1%) and those who worked at home (4.94%).

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

30 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Russell County, VA have a longer commute time (30 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.65% of the workforce in Russell County, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Russell 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 Russell County, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Russell County, VA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 9.03% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Russell County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.27%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

16.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Russell County, VA (4.22k out of 25.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 21.6% of the children was living in poverty in Russell County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.3%.

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

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

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 185 in Russell County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 89.6% per 100,000 population.

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