City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Big Stone Gap, VA

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

5,193
Residents
$51,059
Median income
$169,900
Median home
$914
Median rent (state)

Big Stone Gap - the verdict

Nationally, Big Stone Gap sits in the 21st percentile for household income and the 40th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
34th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
40th
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: Big Stone Gap, VA

Big Stone Gap is a small town in Virginia, home to 5,193 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $51,059 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.9%. Big Stone Gap's housing stock carries a median value of $169,900, and the median resident age is 41.1 years. 18.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 33.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Big Stone Gap reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1676.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 54.5°F with 56.0 inches of precipitation per year and 9.2 inches of snowfall.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $914 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 1.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

5,193 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$51,059 /yr

Poverty 15.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Big Stone Gap compare to other US cities?

Here's how Big Stone Gap stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 34% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 40% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Virginia and the picture shifts: Big Stone Gap ranks #53 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Virginia-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Big Stone Gap near the bottom of Virginia's cities

Among the 619 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Big Stone Gap ranks #502 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Big Stone Gap only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#424 of 558
24th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#502 of 619
0th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#403 of 567
29th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#99 of 616
84th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#404 of 618
34th 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.

21stIncome percentile
40thSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 40th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Big Stone Gap's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Big Stone Gap'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 47 Avg. percentile National median
Big Stone Gap'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 Big Stone Gap's home value compares nationally

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

$169,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 66% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Big Stone Gap $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 - Big Stone Gap, VA Big Stone Gap, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Big Stone Gap, 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 Big Stone Gap, VA median $51,059/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%
Big Stone Gap, 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 Big Stone Gap, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 33.5%

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

Population
5,193
Median Income
$51,059
Median Home Value
$169,900
Median Age
41.1
Poverty Rate
15.9%
Labor force participation
33.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1676.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
118.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1557.9
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
54.5°F
Annual Precipitation
56.0"
Annual Snowfall
9.2"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,050 residents5,100 residents5,150 residents5,200 residents5,250 residents5,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,268 residents 5,102 residents ▼ -3.2%
Big Stone Gap's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.7%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
8.1%
Work from Home
6.1%
Other
1.5%

Based on 1,418 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 Big Stone Gap sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$914/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
1.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Bealeton
5,193 people
Richlands
5,188 people
Falmouth
5,036 people
Bluefield
5,016 people
Chamberlayne
5,000 people
Orange
5,000 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Stone Gap's 5,193 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

River Ridge, FL
5,191 people
Northwood, OH
5,195 people
Veneta, OR
5,191 people
Comstock Northwest, MI
5,190 people
Vancleave, MS
5,196 people
Bristol, WI
5,196 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Stone Gap's $51,059 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Salisbury, NC
$51,058 median income
South Valley, NM
$51,062 median income
Lakeview, OH
$51,065 median income
Frostburg, MD
$51,052 median income
Kulpmont, PA
$51,066 median income
Whetstone, AZ
$51,050 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Big Stone Gap, 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 Big Stone Gap, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.6% 19.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.4% White 74.6% Black or African American 19.8% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 3.6% 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 Big Stone Gap 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
Big Stone Gap (this city) 5,193 $51,059
Bealeton 5,193 $103,365
Richlands 5,188 $37,382
Falmouth 5,036 $125,305
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Big Stone Gap, VA?

What is the population of Big Stone Gap, VA? +

The population of Big Stone Gap, VA stands at 5,193 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Big Stone Gap, VA? +

Big Stone Gap households earn a median of $51,059 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Big Stone Gap? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Big Stone Gap; 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 Big Stone Gap, VA safe? +

Big Stone Gap has a total crime rate of 1676.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Big Stone Gap, VA? +

The median home value in Big Stone Gap is $169,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Big Stone Gap? +

The average annual temperature in Big Stone Gap runs 54.5°F, 56.0 inches of precipitation, and 9.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.