Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

166,156

0.625% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

0.89% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

21.6%

0.717% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$57,381

3.44% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$195,100

3.06% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

75,912

1.16% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA had a population of 166k people with a median age of 34 and a median household income of $57,381. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA declined from 167,201 to 166,156, a −0.625% decrease and its median household income grew from $55,475 to $57,381, a 3.44% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.55%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.17%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.96%), and White (Hispanic) (1.57%).

None of the households in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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.

96.6% of the residents in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (10,192 degrees awarded in 2021), Radford University (233277) (2,336 degrees), and New River Community College (772 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was $195,100, and the homeownership rate was 60%.

Most people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was 2 cars per household.

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA borders Bluefield, WV-VA and Roanoke, VA.

United States Virginia

Population & Diversity

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is home to a population of 166k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 5.69% of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA residents were born outside of the country (9.46k people).

In 2021, there were 18.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (143k people) in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.56k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6.93k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.6%

2021 Citizenship

96.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 96.6% of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
143k ± 236
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
7.56k ± 366
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
6.93k ± 392

2.93%

Hispanic Population

4.88k people

2.93% of the people in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are hispanic (4.88k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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
109,039 ± 8,055 people
India
96,011 ± 7,565 people
Mexico
59,097 ± 5,948 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 109,039 Virginia residents, followed by India with 96,011 and Mexico with 59,097.

Foreign-Born Population

5.69%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

9.46k people

5.78%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

9.67k people

As of 2021, 5.69% of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA residents (9.46k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was 5.78%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,838 ± 302
Gulf War (2001-)
1,614 ± 351
Gulf War (1990s)
1,188 ± 272

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.76 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA employs 75.9k people. The largest industries in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are Educational Services (16,647 people), Manufacturing (9,780 people), and Retail Trade (8,323 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($103,313), Utilities ($56,250), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($55,607).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $63,894. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.476, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

75.9k

2021 Value

± 2,332

−1.16%

1 Year decline

± 4.34%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA declined at a rate of −1.16%, from 76.8k employees to 75.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (9,323 people), Sales & Related Occupations (7,244 people), and Management Occupations (6,997 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

75.9k

2021 Value

± 2,332

−1.16%

1 Year decline

± 4.34%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA declined at a rate of −1.16%, from 76.8k employees to 75.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, are Educational Services (16,647 people), Manufacturing (9,780 people), and Retail Trade (8,323 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, though some of these residents may live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,785

Median earning men ± $1,283

$29,993

Median earning women ± $1,628

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($52,927), Construction ($48,059), and Public Administration ($47,770).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($52,520), Manufacturing ($41,742), and Public Administration ($41,078).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

1,424
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
823
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
736
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

$2.67M
Manufacturing
$895k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$276k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $37.7B, followed by Electronics ($29B) and Machinery ($23.6B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Virginia.

$313B

2020 Value in Virginia

$612B

Projected 2050 Value in Virginia

95.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Virginia trade was $313B. This is expected to increase 95.3% 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 $26B, followed by Maryland with $18.5B and Pennsylvania and $12.4B.

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 Virginia went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 54.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (44%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.45%).

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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA. Showing the available data for Virginia.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (54.1%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (44%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.45%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 54.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (44%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.45%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

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.

US Representative 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 2021, universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA awarded 13,775 degrees. The student population of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 27,129 male students and 25,327 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are White (9,111 and 71.5%), followed by Asian (1,039 and 8.16%), Hispanic or Latino (875 and 6.87%), and Black or African American (782 and 6.14%).

The largest universities in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA by number of degrees awarded are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (10,192 and 74%), Radford University (233277) (2,336 and 17%), and New River Community College (772 and 5.6%).

The most popular majors in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA are General Computer & Information Sciences (504 and 3.66%), Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy. (475 and 3.45%), and Management Science (470 and 3.41%).

The median tuition cost in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA for a public four year colleges is $9,836 for in-state students and $25,193 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 64.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 52,456 (51.7% men and 48.3% 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 2021 there were 52,456 students enrolled in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, 51.7% men and 48.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 32,363 records, of which 50% were women and 50% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
423 degree-majors awarded
General Finance
382 degree-majors awarded
Management Science
460 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was General Psychology with 423 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
10,192 degrees awarded
Radford University (233277)
2,336 degrees awarded
New River Community College
772 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with 10,192 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 6,888 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, which is 1 times more than the 6,887 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 9,111 degrees mean that there were 8.77 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 1,039 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

Public, 4-year or above ($9,836) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,022) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,800) 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 2021, 0.836% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.859% 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 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.68M), Bachelors Degree (1.44M), and Some college (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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was $195,100 in 2021, which is 0.797 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $189,300 to $195,100, a 3.06% increase. The homeownership rate in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is 60%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA have an average commute time of 20.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is $57,381. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $156,821, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $155,071 and $133,974.

Housing

Property

$195,100

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,538

$37,458

Median Property Taxes

±$1,406

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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

60%

Homeownership

2021

67.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 60% of the housing units in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 60.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA was Loudoun County, VA with a value of $156,821, followed by Falls Church city, VA and Fairfax County, VA, with respective values of $155,071 and $133,974.

The following map shows all of the counties in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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.

$57,381

Median Household Income

± $1,828

62.4k

Number of Households

± 1,910

In 2021, the median household income of the 62.4k households in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew to $57,381 from the previous year's value of $55,475.

The following chart displays the households in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is from Virginia.

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2021, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.476 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.381% decline from 2020 to 2021, 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 2021

Drove Alone (78.4%)
Worked At Home (7.1%)
Carpooled (7.05%)

In 2021, 78.4% of workers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (7.1%) and those who carpooled to work (7.05%).

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

20.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA have a shorter commute time (20.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.44% of the workforce in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

21.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA (32.8k out of 152k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA is White, followed by Asian and Black.

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

93.6% of the population of Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA has health coverage, with 56.2% on employee plans, 9.32% on Medicaid, 13.2% on Medicare, 13.2% on non-group plans, and 1.68% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Virginia see 1310 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.13% decrease from the previous year (1325 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1393 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 484 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,310 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Virginia

Primary care physicians in Virginia see an average of 1,310 patients per year. This represents a 1.13% decrease from the previous year (1,325 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.3% under 18 years, 31.1% between 18 and 34 years, 33.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.41%

Uninsured

56.2%

Employer Coverage

9.32%

Medicaid

13.2%

Medicare

13.2%

Non-Group

1.68%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA grew by 0.658% from 6.36% to 6.41%.

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