City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Emporia, VA

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

5,633
Residents
$49,375
Median income
$131,100
Median home
$1,001
Median rent (state)

Emporia - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Emporia lands in the 19th percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
21st
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
8th
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: Emporia, VA

Virginia's Emporia is a small town, with 5,633 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $49,375 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 9.0%. Emporia's housing stock carries a median value of $131,100, and the median resident age is 39.5 years. Educational attainment runs 15.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 50.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Emporia (Construction Slowdown), down 75% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Emporia's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3962.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 59.7°F with 46.2 inches of precipitation per year and 1.4 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,001 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 5.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

5,633 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$49,375 /yr

Poverty 9.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Emporia compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 21% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% 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, Emporia ranks #111 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 Emporia'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.

19thIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Emporia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Emporia'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 36 Avg. percentile National median
Emporia'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 Emporia's home value compares nationally

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

$131,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 79% 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. Emporia $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 - Emporia, VA Emporia, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Emporia, 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 Emporia, VA median $49,375/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%
Emporia, 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 Emporia, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.5%

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

Population
5,633
Median Income
$49,375
Median Home Value
$131,100
Median Age
39.5
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Labor force participation
50.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3962.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1068.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2893.5
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
59.7°F
Annual Precipitation
46.2"
Annual Snowfall
1.4"

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 →
5,300 residents5,400 residents5,500 residents5,600 residents5,700 residents5,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,697 residents 5,447 residents ▼ -4.4%
Emporia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 2
2021 6
2022 3
2023 5
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 75% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.3%
Carpool
10.5%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
6.0%
Other
1.2%

Based on 2,164 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 Emporia sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
5.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Crosspointe
5,632 people
Moorefield
5,598 people
Covington
5,671 people
Marion
5,694 people
Dulles Town Center
5,541 people
Dumfries
5,749 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Emporia's 5,633 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

West Modesto, CA
5,633 people
North Windham, ME
5,633 people
Waimanalo, HI
5,634 people
Henryetta, OK
5,631 people
Chisago City, MN
5,629 people
Calverton, NY
5,629 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Emporia's $49,375 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Eek, AK
$49,375 median income
Hydaburg, AK
$49,375 median income
Magazine, AR
$49,375 median income
Sidney, AR
$49,375 median income
City of Creede, CO
$49,375 median income
Collbran, CO
$49,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Emporia, 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 Emporia, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 20.6% 64.0% 14.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.4% White 20.6% Black or African American 64.0% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 14.8% 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 Emporia 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
Emporia (this city) 5,633 $49,375
Crosspointe 5,632 $247,708
Moorefield 5,598 $200,754
Covington 5,671 $42,724
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Emporia, VA?

What is the population of Emporia, VA? +

Emporia, VA counts 5,633 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Emporia runs $49,375, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Emporia? +

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

Emporia has a total crime rate of 3962.4 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 Emporia, VA? +

The median home value in Emporia is $131,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Emporia? +

Emporia has an average annual temperature of 59.7°F, 46.2 inches of precipitation, and 1.4 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 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.