City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Chatham, VA

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

1,535
Residents
$54,485
Median income
$168,100
Median home
$914
Median rent (state)

Chatham - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Chatham lands in the 26th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

26th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Chatham, VA

1,535 people live in Chatham, Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Chatham households earn a median of $54,485 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.3%. Chatham's housing stock carries a median value of $168,100, and the median resident age is 35.7 years. About 35.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 51.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

NOAA puts Chatham's yearly average temperature at 55.6°F with 47.7 inches of precipitation per year and 5.8 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $914 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 63.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

1,535 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$54,485 /yr

Poverty 1.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Chatham compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 26% higher than other cities
Home value 33% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Chatham 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 Chatham near the bottom of Virginia's cities

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

Median Household Income
#399 of 558
28th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#502 of 619
0th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#407 of 567
28th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#454 of 616
26th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#223 of 618
64th 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.

26thIncome percentile

26th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Chatham's home value compares nationally

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

$168,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% 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. Chatham $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 - Chatham, VA Chatham, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chatham, 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 Chatham, VA median $54,485/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%
Chatham, 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 Chatham, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.4%

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

Population
1,535
Median Income
$54,485
Median Home Value
$168,100
Median Age
35.7
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Labor force participation
51.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.6°F
Annual Precipitation
47.7"
Annual Snowfall
5.8"

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,180 residents1,190 residents1,200 residents1,210 residents1,220 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,217 residents 1,191 residents ▼ -2.1%
Chatham's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
88.2%
Carpool
3.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.7%
Work from Home
1.7%
Other
1.4%

Based on 593 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 Chatham 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
63.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Gordonsville
1,527 people
Edinburg
1,544 people
Mountain Road
1,517 people
Chatmoss
1,503 people
Camp Barrett
1,569 people
Bull Run Mountain Estates
1,582 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chatham's 1,535 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Benld, IL
1,535 people
Baker, MT
1,535 people
Yutan, NE
1,535 people
Scotland, PA
1,535 people
East Palatka, FL
1,536 people
Pocahontas, IA
1,536 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chatham's $54,485 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Weston, OH
$54,489 median income
Springer, OK
$54,489 median income
Rexland Acres, CA
$54,491 median income
Alto, GA
$54,479 median income
Saybrook, IL
$54,479 median income
Cairo, NY
$54,479 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chatham, 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 Chatham, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.7% 17.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.9% White 74.7% Black or African American 17.9% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.1% Two or more races 4.8% 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 Chatham 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
Chatham (this city) 1,535 $54,485
Gordonsville 1,527 $70,179
Edinburg 1,544 $54,775
Mountain Road 1,517 $34,399
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chatham, VA?

What is the population of Chatham, VA? +

Chatham, VA counts 1,535 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Chatham, the typical household earns $54,485 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chatham? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Chatham; 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.

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

A typical home in Chatham is worth $168,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Chatham? +

The average annual temperature in Chatham runs 55.6°F, 47.7 inches of precipitation, and 5.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.