City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Chincoteague, VA

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

3,300
Residents
$62,292
Median income
$329,200
Median home
$1,054
Median rent (state)

Chincoteague - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Chincoteague places in the 39th percentile for household income and the 55th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
25th
percentile, median rent
55th
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: Chincoteague, VA

Chincoteague is a small town in Virginia, home to 3,300 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $62,292 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.1%. Chincoteague's housing stock carries a median value of $329,200, and the median resident age is 56.8 years. Educational attainment runs 37.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 41.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 23 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 92% from five years earlier. Chincoteague reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1231.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Virginia at 101.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,054 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 81.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

3,300 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$62,292 /yr

Poverty 7.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Chincoteague compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 25% pricier than other cities
Safety 55% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Virginia, Chincoteague ranks #33 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Chincoteague's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

39thIncome percentile
55thSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 55th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Chincoteague's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Chincoteague'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
Chincoteague'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 Chincoteague's home value compares nationally

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

$329,200 31st percentile more affordable than 31% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Chincoteague $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 - Chincoteague, VA Chincoteague, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chincoteague, 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 Chincoteague, VA median $62,292/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%
Chincoteague, 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 Chincoteague, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 41.4%

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

Population
3,300
Median Income
$62,292
Median Home Value
$329,200
Median Age
56.8
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Labor force participation
41.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1231.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
123.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1108.0
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 →
3,280 residents3,300 residents3,320 residents3,340 residents3,360 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,339 residents 3,309 residents ▼ -0.9%
Chincoteague's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
23
housing units authorized
Single-Family
23
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 12
2020 21
2021 12
2022 19
2023 18
2024 23

Permit volume increased 92% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.7%
Carpool
2.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.9%
Work from Home
9.9%
Other
7.8%

Based on 1,312 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 Chincoteague sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,054/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Blackstone
3,341 people
Lake Wilderness
3,255 people
Altavista
3,356 people
Marshall
3,213 people
Dahlgren
3,417 people
Daleville
3,166 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chincoteague's 3,300 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bunkie, LA
3,299 people
Hominy, OK
3,299 people
Blountville, TN
3,301 people
Niantic, CT
3,302 people
Jackson, MN
3,298 people
Rayville, LA
3,297 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chincoteague's $62,292 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Paton, IA
$62,292 median income
Grantsboro, NC
$62,292 median income
New Washington, OH
$62,292 median income
Athens, WV
$62,292 median income
Candler-McAfee, GA
$62,299 median income
Park Forest, IL
$62,305 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chincoteague, 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 Chincoteague, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 95.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 5.0% 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 Chincoteague 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
Chincoteague (this city) 3,300 $62,292
Blackstone 3,341 $58,479
Lake Wilderness 3,255 $115,781
Altavista 3,356 $45,962
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chincoteague, VA?

What is the population of Chincoteague, VA? +

The population of Chincoteague, VA stands at 3,300 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Chincoteague runs $62,292, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chincoteague? +

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

Chincoteague has a total crime rate of 1231.1 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 Chincoteague, VA? +

Chincoteague's median home value sits at $329,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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 Editorial

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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.