City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Pulaski, VA

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

8,937
Residents
$50,409
Median income
$152,800
Median home
$921
Median rent (state)

Pulaski - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Pulaski places in the 20th percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
28th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
17th
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: Pulaski, VA

8,937 people live in Pulaski, Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Pulaski households earn a median of $50,409 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.2%. Typical homes in Pulaski are valued around $152,800, and the median resident age is 39.8 years. 15.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 6 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 500% from five years earlier. Pulaski's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2891.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 52.8°F with 40.0 inches of precipitation per year and 15.8 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 $921 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 45.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

8,937 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$50,409 /yr

Poverty 15.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Pulaski compare to other US cities?

Here's how Pulaski stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 28% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% 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, Pulaski ranks #91 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

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 Pulaski'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.

20thIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Pulaski's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Pulaski'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 40 Avg. percentile National median
Pulaski'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 Pulaski's home value compares nationally

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

$152,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 72% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Pulaski $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 - Pulaski, VA Pulaski, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Pulaski, 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 Pulaski, VA median $50,409/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%
Pulaski, 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 Pulaski, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.2%

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

Population
8,937
Median Income
$50,409
Median Home Value
$152,800
Median Age
39.8
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Labor force participation
54.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2891.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
567.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2324.8
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
52.8°F
Annual Precipitation
40.0"
Annual Snowfall
15.8"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,700 residents8,800 residents8,900 residents9,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,979 residents 8,807 residents ▼ -1.9%
Pulaski's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 12
2021 3
2022 4
2023 5
2024 6

Permit volume increased 500% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.4%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
10.0%
Other
1.7%

Based on 3,955 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 Pulaski sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$921/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
45.9 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Purcellville
8,974 people
Rockwood
8,834 people
Dunn Loring
8,782 people
Smithfield
8,729 people
University of Virginia
9,159 people
Seven Corners
9,171 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Pulaski's 8,937 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Valley Center, KS
8,937 people
Rio del Mar, CA
8,938 people
Haledon, NJ
8,936 people
Meadowbrook, AL
8,939 people
Harahan, LA
8,939 people
Cloverdale, CA
8,933 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Pulaski's $50,409 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bloomingdale, TN
$50,408 median income
Kamrar, IA
$50,417 median income
Iola, KS
$50,417 median income
Sonora, KY
$50,417 median income
Morse, LA
$50,417 median income
Oakley, MI
$50,417 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Pulaski, 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 Pulaski, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.7% White 87.4% Black or African American 4.3% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.9% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 5.7% 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 Pulaski 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
Pulaski (this city) 8,937 $50,409
Purcellville 8,974 $162,981
Rockwood 8,834 $90,804
Dunn Loring 8,782 $236,563
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Pulaski, VA?

What is the population of Pulaski, VA? +

Pulaski, VA has a population of 8,937 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Pulaski is $50,409 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Pulaski? +

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

Pulaski has a total crime rate of 2891.8 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 Pulaski, VA? +

Homes in Pulaski carry a median value of $152,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Pulaski? +

Pulaski has an average annual temperature of 52.8°F, 40.0 inches of precipitation, and 15.8 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.