City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Altavista, VA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Altavista - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,356
Residents
$45,962
Median income
$135,000
Median home
$1,187
Median rent (state)

Altavista - the verdict

Nationally, Altavista sits in the 14th percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

14th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
35th
percentile, median rent
13th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Altavista, VA

Altavista is a small town in Virginia, home to 3,356 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Altavista households earn a median of $45,962 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.4%. Home values in Altavista run a median of $135,000, and the median resident age is 41.3 years. 28.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Altavista's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3226.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Virginia scores 101.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,187 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Altavista report an average commute of 20.9 minutes, with 83.9% driving alone and 10.1% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 32.0 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

3,356 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$45,962 /yr

Poverty 13.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Altavista compare to other US cities?

Where Altavista sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 35% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Virginia alone, Altavista ranks #100 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Altavista against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Virginia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Virginia-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Altavista toward the bottom of Virginia's cities

Among the 567 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Altavista ranks #470 - the 17th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Altavista only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#463 of 558
17th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#351 of 619
41st percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#470 of 567
17th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#143 of 616
76th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#301 of 618
51st percentile in Virginia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Virginia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

14thIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Altavista's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Altavista's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Altavista's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Altavista's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$135,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Altavista $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Altavista, VA Altavista, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Altavista, VA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Altavista, VA median $45,962/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Altavista, VA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Altavista, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,356
Median Income
$45,962
Median Home Value
$135,000
Median Age
41.3
Poverty Rate
13.4%
Labor force participation
54.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3226.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
271.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2955.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,320 residents3,340 residents3,360 residents3,380 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,373 residents 3,353 residents ▼ -0.6%
Altavista's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.9 minutes
Drive Alone
83.9%
Carpool
5.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
10.1%

Based on 1,429 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Altavista sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,187/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
32.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Blackstone
3,341 people
Chincoteague
3,300 people
Dahlgren
3,417 people
West Point
3,439 people
Lake Wilderness
3,255 people
Clifton Forge
3,483 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Altavista's 3,356 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cornville, AZ
3,356 people
Sheridan, IN
3,355 people
Hartville, OH
3,355 people
Springdale, PA
3,355 people
Buffalo, MO
3,358 people
Saddle River, NJ
3,358 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Altavista's $45,962 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Holiday Lakes, TX
$45,962 median income
Blue Berry Hill, TX
$45,965 median income
Vidalia, LA
$45,958 median income
Sabina, OH
$45,957 median income
Terlingua, TX
$45,969 median income
Moore, MT
$45,972 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Altavista, VA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Altavista, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.5% 34.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.4% White 62.5% Black or African American 34.5% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 3.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Altavista compares to nearby Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Altavista (this city) 3,356 $45,962
Blackstone 3,341 $58,479
Chincoteague 3,300 $62,292
Dahlgren 3,417 $106,071
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Altavista, VA?

What is the population of Altavista, VA? +

3,356 people live in Altavista, VA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Altavista, VA? +

Median annual household income in Altavista runs $45,962, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Altavista? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Altavista; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Altavista, VA safe? +

Altavista has a total crime rate of 3226.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Altavista, VA? +

Homes in Altavista carry a median value of $135,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.