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Place dossier plate
SheetVA-LYNCHBURG-VA · Lynchburg, VA 79,255 pop · income 35th pct · 23 tracts
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 Lynchburg
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Lynchburg on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Kissimmee · lowest
51,277
Kissimmee · lowest
51,277 median HH income
35.7% of the leader · rank #1
Liberty · near
59,792
Liberty · near
59,792 median HH income
41.6% of the leader · rank #2
Lynchburg · this city
59,808
Lynchburg · this city
59,808 median HH income
41.6% of the leader · rank #3
Sylvester · near
59,808
Sylvester · near
59,808 median HH income
41.6% of the leader · rank #4
Burdett · near
59,821
Burdett · near
59,821 median HH income
41.6% of the leader · rank #5
Lexington · near
59,821
Lexington · near
59,821 median HH income
41.6% of the leader · rank #6
Centreville · highest
143,704
Centreville · highest
143,704 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
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.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Lynchburg on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. 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: 79,255.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Lynchburg - the verdict
Nationally, Lynchburg sits in the 35th percentile for household income and the 30th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
35th
percentile, household income
46th
percentile, home value
62nd
percentile, median rent
30th
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: Lynchburg, VA
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 79,255 residents in Lynchburg, a small city within Virginia. Lynchburg households earn a median of $59,808 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.7%. Home values in Lynchburg run a median of $211,800, and the median resident age is 28.4 years. Educational attainment runs 38.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
In 2024, 472 residential building permits were authorized in Lynchburg (Rapid Growth), up 43% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2094.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 55.2°F with 43.6 inches of precipitation per year and 12.4 inches of snowfall.
Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 101.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,369 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 33.3 out of 100 (Very Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Lynchburg'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 climate and hazard context to work and mobility to within-city variation to reported crime to schools and households to population change to comparison shortlist to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Lynchburg, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates, commute-mode shares, within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
Question 1
What physical conditions frame life in Lynchburg?
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 55.2°F, with 43.6 inches of precipitation and 12.4 inches of annual snowfall. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Virginia is 33.3 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
What does the journey to work look like in Lynchburg?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 70.1%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
What can 23 Census tracts reveal inside Lynchburg?
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
PlainCities matches 23 Census tracts to this city.
Which cities make useful reference points for Lynchburg?
Within Virginia, the closest population matches are Dale (72,793 residents, $113,245 income); Centreville (71,885 residents, $143,704 income); Reston (63,542 residents, $139,515 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Jonesboro, AR (79,187 residents); Perris, CA (79,349 residents); Tustin, CA (79,035 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.
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. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Reported crime
What can the FBI record say about safety in Lynchburg?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 2094.9 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, near the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 8% lower in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Property rate
1737.6
Violent rate
357.2
Total reported rate
2094.9
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, incidents per 100,000. Voluntary agency reporting; not a danger score.
What does the education layer cover for Lynchburg?
The NCES join finds 21 public schools within the city match. 38.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
Matched public schools
21
Bachelor's degree+
38.5%
Poverty estimate
11.7%
NCES Common Core of Data school locations plus Census ACS resident characteristics.
Is Lynchburg growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +2,352 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +3.0% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 472 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
+3.0%
2025 estimate
81,347
2020 estimate
78,995
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
How far does income reach against housing in Lynchburg?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 11.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
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. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
Household income
$59,808
Home value
$211,800
Value / income
3.5×
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
Below median income · poverty 11.7% (Above-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
101.1 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average
F
City profile score · Lynchburg, VA
38/100
5 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.
Bachelor's+ share B
38.5%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
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.
Household income F
$59,808
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
11.7%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Violent crime F
357 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Lynchburg profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 73/100 (B) · 38.5%
Cost of living: 35/100 (F) · 101.1 index
Household income: 34/100 (F) · $59,808
Poverty rate: 33/100 (F) · 11.7%
Violent crime: 25/100 (F) · 357 /100k
Where Lynchburg sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Lynchburg's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Lynchburg highlighted among 10 peers.Read the chart values
Lynchburg, VA (this city): home $211,800, crime 2,095/100k
Jonesboro, AR : home $213,400, crime 3,765/100k
Perris, CA : home $431,900, crime 2,163/100k
Tustin, CA : home $890,600, crime 2,316/100k
Kissimmee, FL : home $273,900, crime 2,386/100k
Plymouth, MN : home $474,700, crime 1,075/100k
Upland, CA : home $688,800, crime 2,163/100k
Suffolk, VA : home $329,600, crime 1,942/100k
Portsmouth, VA : home $229,400, crime 4,613/100k
Roanoke, VA : home $180,500, crime 4,676/100k
How does Lynchburg compare to other US cities?
Where Lynchburg sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income35% higher than other cities
Home value46% pricier than other cities
Median rent62% pricier than other cities
Safety30% 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, Lynchburg ranks #73 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
Each percentile compares Lynchburg 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 Lynchburg near the bottom of Virginia's cities
Among the 619 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Lynchburg ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lynchburg only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#356 of 558
36th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 619
0th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#345 of 567
39th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#161 of 616
73rd percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#202 of 618
67th 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.
Gauge source note
35th percentile nationally for median household income · 30th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Lynchburg's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Lynchburg'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 Lynchburg's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$211,800Among the most affordablemore affordable than 54% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Lynchburg's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.5×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#9,146 of 15,516
More affordable than 41% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#221 of 750
Mid-size cities (50,000–199,999)
At 3.5×, Lynchburg sits in the moderate band:
national rank #9,146 of 15,516 and #221 of 750mid-size cities (50,000–199,999).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
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
$59,808Lynchburg, VA median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Lynchburg, 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 Lynchburg, VA.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)38.5%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)11.7%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)55.6%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
79,255
Median Income
$59,808
Median Home Value
$211,800
Median Age
28.4
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Labor force participation
55.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
38.5%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
2094.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
357.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1737.6
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
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
55.2°F
Annual Precipitation
43.6"
Annual Snowfall
12.4"
Schools
Total Schools
21
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Lynchburg's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
78,995 residents
2021
79,177 residents
2022
79,278 residents
2023
79,769 residents
2024
80,316 residents
2025
81,347 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
472
housing units authorized
Single-Family
232
detached homes
Multifamily
240
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
330
40
290
$33.8M
2020
361
156
205
$31.5M
2021
143
103
40
$28.2M
2022
211
94
117
$31.9M
2023
271
271
0
$59.8M
2024
472
232
240
$113.0M
Permit volume increased 43% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
70.1%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
2.0%
Walk
5.2%
Work from Home
11.5%
Other
3.1%
Based on 35,949 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 Lynchburg. 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 Lynchburg 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 Lynchburg sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Lynchburg 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.
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.