Town · Virginia
Independence, Virginia
Independence, town, in Grayson County, Virginia. Independence had 1,000 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,011 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,132 (±200). GEOID 5139528.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,000
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,011 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,132 ±200
Median household income
$39,286
±$18,141 (90% margin)
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$122,400
±$15,896 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$668
±$101 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Independence and what county is it in?
Independence is a town in Grayson County, Virginia. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 431 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Independence, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,000 people lived in Independence on July 1, 2025, down 1.0% since 2020, while Virginia grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 1,011 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,132 (±200).
| Measure | Independence | Grayson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,132 ±200 | 15,287 | no clear change |
| Households | 472 ±95 | 6,337 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.07 ±0.23 | 2.25 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 568 ±110 | 8,961 | no clear change |
Independence's population since 2000
From 971 in 2000 to 1,000 in 2025: up 3.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Independence as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Independence?
The median resident of Independence is 58.4 years old; 19.2% are under 18 and 31.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.5%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 5.4%.
| Measure | Independence | Grayson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.4 ±5.7 | 48.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.2% ±5.4 pts | 16.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 31.7% ±6.7 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Male | 44.8% ±4.1 pts | 52.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.4% ±3.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.5% ±7.3 pts | 87.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±5.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±2.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.3% ±2.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.3% ±3.2 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.8% ±4.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 27.4% ±5.7 pts | 21.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.0% ±4.8 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.2% ±6.1 pts | 85.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.6% ±11.1 pts | 15.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.2% ±3.8 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.7% ±6.0 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1% ±1.1 pts | 2.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Independence earn?
Half of Independence's 472 households earn less than $39,286 a year (±$18,141), against $47,730 in Grayson County and $93,170 in Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $30,338 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Independence | Grayson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $39,286 ±$18,141 | $47,730 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $66,364 ±$26,352 | $72,281 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,934 ±$11,586 | $31,205 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.6% ±10.6 pts | 16.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 29.5% ±22.6 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.4% ±8.5 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.6% ±5.8 pts | 86.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.1% ±7.8 pts | 81.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Independence?
Owners occupy 66.1% of Independence's occupied homes and renters 33.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $122,400 by its owner (±$15,896). The median renter pays $668 a month including utilities, and 49.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Independence | Grayson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $122,400 ±$15,896 | $150,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $668 ±$101 | $765 | +$186 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 49.0% ±18.1 pts | 49.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,019 ±$219 | $1,023 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.1% ±9.2 pts | 80.4% | +20.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.9% ±9.2 pts | 19.6% | – |
| Housing units | 568 ±110 | 8,961 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.2% ±5.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.0% ±6.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.5% ±6.8 pts | 78.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.6% ±4.7 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.9% ±1.6 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.2% ±6.0 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.4% ±2.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Independence work and get to work?
79.2% of Independence's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.0 minutes.
| Measure | Independence | Grayson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 37.8% ±9.4 pts | 46.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±5.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.2% ±8.4 pts | 79.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.7% ±2.8 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±11.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 5.1% ±5.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.2% ±9.2 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.0 min ±4.4 | 28.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Independence?
No census tract lies mostly in Independence; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 602.01Grayson County | 3,797 | $44,542 |
| Tract 602.02Grayson County | 2,858 | $43,343 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Independence) · Census block assignment files
How does Independence compare with other places in Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Independence is the 10,259th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 138th-most populous of 227 in Virginia.
Independence ranks 356th of 365 places in Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 138th | 227 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 92nd | 139 |
| Residents per square mile | 320th | 374 |
| Median household income | 356th | 365 |
| Per capita income | 305th | 374 |
| Median home value | 340th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 327th | 341 |
| Poverty rate | 26th | 263 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 298th | 359 |
| Median age | 11th | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 208th | 368 |
| Travel time to work | 326th | 372 |
Independence's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Independence with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Independence?
22 of the 57 figures for Independence on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Independence are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Independence.