City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Drakes Branch, VA

Drakes Branch's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

475
Residents
$19,620
Median income
$119,100
Median home
$1,369
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Drakes Branch.

Place dossier plate

Sheet VA-DRAKES-BRANCH-VA · Drakes Branch, VA 475 pop · income 1st pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-LOW · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-BOTTOM · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 475
  • INC-LOW $19,620
  • COL-PAR 101.1
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-BOTTOM 1st
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Floydale
  • HOME-LOW $119,100
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Floydale, SC (+ $8 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Drakes Branch

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Drakes Branch on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Drakes Branch on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 475.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $19,620. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Drakes Branch - the verdict

Drakes Branch ranks in the 1st percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

1st
percentile, household income
17th
percentile, home value
62nd
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: Drakes Branch, VA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 475 residents in Drakes Branch, a small town within Virginia. Households in Drakes Branch report a median income of $19,620 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 43.1%. Home values in Drakes Branch run a median of $119,100, and the median resident age is 50.5 years. About 14.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 40.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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 $1,369 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Virginia run around $235, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 33.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Drakes Branch's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from population change to housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Drakes Branch, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates, local building permits; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

Is Drakes Branch growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

Census PEP estimates show the population declined by -9 residents from 2020 to 2025, a -1.7% change. No comparable local building-permit series is available here, so population change should not be read as a housing-supply measure. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.

Recent estimates point downward. A falling count can reflect migration, household size, annexation boundaries, or estimation noise, so it is a prompt to inspect the full series rather than a claim about local economic health.

See the national growth ranking →

2. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Drakes Branch?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 6.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 43.1%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

3. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Drakes Branch?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within Virginia, the closest population matches are Fairfield (477 residents, $91,354 income); Stanardsville (473 residents, $63,594 income); Horntown (479 residents). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Thorne Bay, AK (475 residents); Proberta, CA (475 residents); Hiltonia, GA (475 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 4

What does the journey to work look like in Drakes Branch?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 94.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

475 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$19,620 /yr

Lowest-decile income · poverty 43.1% (Highest-decile poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

City profile score · Drakes Branch, VA

12/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living F
101.1 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Bachelor's+ share F
14.6%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income F
$19,620

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate F
43.1%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Drakes Branch profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share, Household income, Poverty rate. Cost of livingBachelor's+ shareHousehold incomePoverty rate 12 F
Drakes Branch profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 35/100 (F) · 101.1 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 19/100 (F) · 14.6%
  • Household income: 0/100 (F) · $19,620
  • Poverty rate: 0/100 (F) · 43.1%

How does Drakes Branch compare to other US cities?

Drakes Branch measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 1% higher than other cities
Home value 17% pricier than other cities
Median rent 62% 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 Drakes Branch 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 Drakes Branch near the bottom of Virginia's cities

Among the 619 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Drakes Branch ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Drakes Branch only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#556 of 558
0th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 619
0th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#493 of 567
13th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#14 of 616
98th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#477 of 618
23rd percentile in Virginia
How in-state ranks are ordered

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.

1stIncome percentile
Gauge source note

1st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Drakes Branch's home value compares nationally

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

$119,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 83% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Drakes Branch $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

Drakes Branch's home-value-to-income ratio: 6.1×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#14,148 of 15,516
More affordable than 9% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#10,491 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 6.1×, Drakes Branch sits in the pressured band: national rank #14,148 of 15,516 and #10,491 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$19,620 Drakes Branch, VA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Drakes Branch, VA Drakes Branch, VA's median household income ($19,620) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Drakes Branch, VA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Drakes Branch, VA median $19,620/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%
Drakes Branch, VA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Drakes Branch, VA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 43.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 40.2%

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

Population
475
Median Income
$19,620
Median Home Value
$119,100
Median Age
50.5
Poverty Rate
43.1%
Labor force participation
40.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.6%

Population Change

PEP vintage

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
515 residents520 residents525 residents530 residents 202020212022202320242025 528 residents 519 residents ▼ -1.7%
Drakes Branch's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 528 residents
2021 525 residents
2022 522 residents
2023 521 residents
2024 517 residents
2025 519 residents

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
94.7%
Carpool
1.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
3.0%

Based on 169 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Virginia statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $235

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Virginia at $235 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $50 ).

These are Virginia statewide averages, not a meter reading for Drakes Branch. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Virginia's BEA cost-of-living index is 101.1 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Drakes Branch is $1,369/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Virginia statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 33.3 / 100 (Very Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Virginia statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Drakes Branch sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Drakes Branch compares to similar-size Virginia cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Drakes Branch (this city) 475 $19,620
Fairfield 477 $91,354
Stanardsville 473 $63,594
Horntown 479 N/A
Primary sources on this page

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

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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