Town · Virginia
Rural Retreat, Virginia
Rural Retreat, town, in Wythe County, Virginia. Rural Retreat had 1,521 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,546 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,644 (±355). GEOID 5169456.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,521
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,546 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,644 ±355
Median household income
$61,979
±$15,507 (90% margin)
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$185,800
±$16,971 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$800
±$133 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Rural Retreat and what county is it in?
Rural Retreat is a town in Wythe County, Virginia. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 679 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 Rural Retreat, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,521 people lived in Rural Retreat on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, while Virginia grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 1,546 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,644 (±355).
| Measure | Rural Retreat | Wythe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,644 ±355 | 28,188 | no clear change |
| Households | 665 ±140 | 12,533 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.47 ±0.27 | 2.23 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 743 ±146 | 14,030 | no clear change |
Rural Retreat's population since 2000
From 1,350 in 2000 to 1,521 in 2025: up 12.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rural Retreat 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 Rural Retreat?
The median resident of Rural Retreat is 41.0 years old; 26.5% are under 18 and 18.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.5%.
| Measure | Rural Retreat | Wythe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 ±5.2 | 46.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.5% ±6.7 pts | 19.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.9% ±4.9 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±5.6 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.6% ±3.2 pts | 92.9% | −3.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.5% ±2.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.5% ±2.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 14.1% ±4.3 pts | 18.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.7% ±3.6 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.6% ±2.4 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.7% ±5.3 pts | 19.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.7% ±2.6 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.2% ±8.2 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
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 Rural Retreat earn?
Half of Rural Retreat's 665 households earn less than $61,979 a year (±$15,507), against $57,745 in Wythe County and $93,170 in Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $60,436 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 22.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rural Retreat | Wythe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,979 ±$15,507 | $57,745 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $74,044 ±$9,447 | $78,745 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,173 ±$4,277 | $34,875 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 22.3% ±10.9 pts | 15.2% | +13.1 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 45.1% ±25.5 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.7% ±5.0 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.1% ±4.2 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.2% ±6.4 pts | 82.9% | – |
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 Rural Retreat?
Owners occupy 82.3% of Rural Retreat's occupied homes and renters 17.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $185,800 by its owner (±$16,971). The median renter pays $800 a month including utilities, and 45.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Rural Retreat | Wythe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $185,800 ±$16,971 | $171,200 | +$20,764 |
| Median gross rent | $800 ±$133 | $764 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.5% ±23.8 pts | 40.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,223 ±$84 | $1,129 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.3% ±6.2 pts | 77.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.7% ±6.2 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Housing units | 743 ±146 | 14,030 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.6% ±2.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±26.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.8% ±6.2 pts | 69.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.5% ±4.8 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.2% ±3.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.7% ±7.9 pts | 13.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 8.2% | – |
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 Rural Retreat work and get to work?
83.3% of Rural Retreat's workers drive alone and 7.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.1 minutes.
| Measure | Rural Retreat | Wythe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.3% ±6.8 pts | 55.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.0% ±1.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.3% ±6.7 pts | 81.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.0% ±3.5 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.2% ±4.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.5% ±3.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.1 min ±6.3 | 24.3 min | +8.1 min |
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 Rural Retreat?
No census tract lies mostly in Rural Retreat; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 503.01Wythe County | 4,090 | $56,429 |
| Tract 502.02Wythe County | 3,444 | $63,304 |
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 Rural Retreat) · Census block assignment files
How does Rural Retreat compare with other places in Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rural Retreat is the 8,685th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 111th-most populous of 227 in Virginia.
Rural Retreat ranks 265th 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 | 111th | 227 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 98th | 139 |
| Residents per square mile | 274th | 374 |
| Median household income | 265th | 365 |
| Per capita income | 302nd | 374 |
| Median home value | 294th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 296th | 341 |
| Poverty rate | 33rd | 263 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 274th | 359 |
| Median age | 148th | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 93rd | 368 |
| Work from home | 266th | 286 |
| Travel time to work | 186th | 372 |
Rural Retreat's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Rural Retreat 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 Rural Retreat?
18 of the 57 figures for Rural Retreat 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 Rural Retreat 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 Rural Retreat.