City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Harrisonburg, VA

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

51,492
Residents
$59,752
Median income
$278,200
Median home
$1,322
Median rent (state)

Harrisonburg - the verdict

Nationally, Harrisonburg sits in the 35th percentile for household income and the 33rd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

35th
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
33rd
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: Harrisonburg, VA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 51,492 residents in Harrisonburg, a small city within Virginia. Harrisonburg households earn a median of $59,752 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.5%. Typical homes in Harrisonburg are valued around $278,200, and the median resident age is 25.4 years. 36.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 87 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 19% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1960.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures 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 $1,322 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). The average commute for Harrisonburg workers runs 15.6 minutes, with 68.6% driving alone and 8.6% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 26.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

51,492 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$59,752 /yr

Poverty 12.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Harrisonburg compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 48% pricier than other cities
Safety 33% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Virginia alone, Harrisonburg ranks #67 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Virginia-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Harrisonburg toward the top of Virginia's cities

Among the 616 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Harrisonburg ranks #154 - the 75th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Harrisonburg only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#357 of 558
36th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#263 of 619
55th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#248 of 567
56th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#154 of 616
75th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#216 of 618
65th 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.

35thIncome percentile
33rdSafety percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income · 33rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Harrisonburg's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Harrisonburg'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 38 Avg. percentile National median
Harrisonburg'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 Harrisonburg's home value compares nationally

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

$278,200 39th percentile more affordable than 39% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Harrisonburg $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 - Harrisonburg, VA Harrisonburg, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Harrisonburg, 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 Harrisonburg, VA median $59,752/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%
Harrisonburg, 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 Harrisonburg, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.9%

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

Population
51,492
Median Income
$59,752
Median Home Value
$278,200
Median Age
25.4
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Labor force participation
56.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1960.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
267.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1693.0
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
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
50,500 residents51,000 residents51,500 residents52,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 51,698 residents 50,839 residents ▼ -1.7%
Harrisonburg's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
87
housing units authorized
Single-Family
16
detached homes
Multifamily
71
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 73
2020 60
2021 36
2022 55
2023 80
2024 87

Permit volume increased 19% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.6 minutes
Drive Alone
68.6%
Carpool
13.1%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
5.7%
Work from Home
8.6%
Other
2.7%

Based on 23,703 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 Harrisonburg sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,322/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
26.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

McLean
50,232 people
Leesburg
48,788 people
Tuckahoe
48,610 people
Charlottesville
45,863 people
Ashburn
45,551 people
Blacksburg
45,288 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Harrisonburg's 51,492 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mooresville, NC
51,447 people
Palm Desert, CA
51,551 people
Levittown, NY
51,557 people
Little Elm, TX
51,426 people
Dunwoody, GA
51,563 people
Lincoln, CA
51,629 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Harrisonburg's $59,752 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Concord, GA
$59,750 median income
Scotland, GA
$59,750 median income
Lenox, IA
$59,750 median income
Lake City, MI
$59,750 median income
Dassel, MN
$59,750 median income
Boiling Spring Lakes, NC
$59,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Harrisonburg, 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 Harrisonburg, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 66.5% 7.6% 7.6% 14.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 23.1% White 66.5% Black or African American 7.6% Asian 3.2% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 7.6% Two or more races 14.5% 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 Harrisonburg 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
Harrisonburg (this city) 51,492 $59,752
McLean 50,232 $250,001
Leesburg 48,788 $140,668
Tuckahoe 48,610 $96,188
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Harrisonburg, VA?

What is the population of Harrisonburg, VA? +

Harrisonburg, VA has a population of 51,492 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Harrisonburg, the typical household earns $59,752 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Harrisonburg? +

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

Harrisonburg has a total crime rate of 1960.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Harrisonburg, VA? +

A typical home in Harrisonburg is worth $278,200, 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

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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.