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Place dossier plate
SheetVA-SOUTH-HILL-VA · South Hill, VA 4,737 pop · income 33rd pct · 12 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 South Hill
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest South Hill on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Arnold · lowest
48,119
Arnold · lowest
48,119 median HH income
39.6% of the leader · rank #1
Castile · near
58,625
Castile · near
58,625 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #2
DuBois · near
58,626
DuBois · near
58,626 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #3
Clintondale · near
58,627
Clintondale · near
58,627 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #4
South Hill · this city
58,633
South Hill · this city
58,633 median HH income
48.3% of the leader · rank #5
Loves Park · near
58,633
Loves Park · near
58,633 median HH income
48.3% of the leader · rank #6
Sawgrass · highest
121,519
Sawgrass · highest
121,519 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 South Hill 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: 4,737.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
South Hill - the verdict
Nationally, South Hill sits in the 33rd percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
33rd
percentile, household income
37th
percentile, home value
62nd
percentile, median rent
8th
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: South Hill, VA
South Hill is a small town in Virginia, home to 4,737 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in South Hill brings in $58,633 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.9%. Typical homes in South Hill are valued around $182,100, and the median resident age is 43.1 years. 23.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 12 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 20% from five years earlier. South Hill's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3899.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above 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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,369 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 33.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of South Hill'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 population change to reported crime to work and mobility to schools and households to housing and income to within-city variation to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For South Hill, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history, FBI reported-crime rates, local building permits, matched public-school count.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
Question 1
Is South Hill growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +199 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +4.2% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 12 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
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.
What can the FBI record say about safety in South Hill?
The joined FBI UCR record reports 3899.8 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, above the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 71% higher in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
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.
What can 12 Census tracts reveal inside South Hill?
PlainCities matches 12 Census tracts to this city.
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.
Which cities make useful reference points for South Hill?
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.
Within Virginia, the closest population matches are Berryville (4,667 residents, $100,547 income); King George (4,833 residents, $92,452 income); Luray (4,836 residents, $55,802 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Bridgeville, PA (4,737 residents); Arnold, PA (4,738 residents); Sawgrass, FL (4,734 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.
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.
Work and mobility
What does the journey to work look like in South Hill?
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 89.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.
Drive alone
89.7%
Work from home
5.5%
Public transit
0.0%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 2,059 workers age 16+.
What does the education layer cover for South Hill?
The matched institution count is small, so district boundaries and schools outside the city line may matter more than the municipal count suggests. Use the number as a coverage cue, then verify attendance zones with the district before making a household decision.
The NCES join finds 1 public school within the city match. 23.9% 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.
Poverty estimate
14.9%
Bachelor's degree+
23.9%
Matched public schools
1
NCES Common Core of Data school locations plus Census ACS resident characteristics.
How far does income reach against housing in South Hill?
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.
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 14.9%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
Value / income
3.1×
Home value
$182,100
Household income
$58,633
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
Below median income · poverty 14.9% (High poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
101.1 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average
F
City profile score · South Hill, VA
31/100
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 D
23.9%
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
$58,633
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
14.9%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Violent crime F
404 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
South Hill profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 46/100 (D) · 23.9%
Cost of living: 35/100 (F) · 101.1 index
Household income: 33/100 (F) · $58,633
Poverty rate: 23/100 (F) · 14.9%
Violent crime: 22/100 (F) · 404 /100k
Where South Hill sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
South Hill'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 - South Hill highlighted among 27 peers.Read the chart values
South Hill, VA (this city): home $182,100, crime 3,900/100k
Bridgeville, PA : home $157,700, crime 1,117/100k
Arnold, PA : home $76,800, crime 2,390/100k
St. James, MN : home $109,600, crime 707/100k
Berryville, VA : home $537,700, crime 701/100k
Luray, VA : home $243,500, crime 1,263/100k
Rocky Mount, VA : home $181,400, crime 3,607/100k
New York, NY : home $751,700, crime 3,039/100k
Los Angeles, CA : home $879,500, crime 2,212/100k
Chicago, IL : home $315,200, crime 4,012/100k
Houston, TX : home $253,400, crime 5,442/100k
Phoenix, AZ : home $381,900, crime 3,125/100k
Philadelphia, PA : home $232,400, crime 5,457/100k
San Antonio, TX : home $219,700, crime 5,218/100k
San Diego, CA : home $848,500, crime 2,082/100k
Dallas, TX : home $295,300, crime 4,010/100k
San Jose, CA : home $1,187,800, crime 3,195/100k
Austin, TX : home $512,700, crime 3,709/100k
Fort Worth, TX : home $277,300, crime 3,158/100k
Columbus, OH : home $234,500, crime 3,088/100k
Indianapolis, IN : home $207,000, crime 4,214/100k
San Francisco, CA : home $1,380,500, crime 4,526/100k
Seattle, WA : home $912,100, crime 5,783/100k
Denver, CO : home $586,700, crime 5,755/100k
Oklahoma City, OK : home $215,100, crime 3,570/100k
El Paso, TX : home $171,700, crime 1,772/100k
Washington, DC : home $724,600, crime 4,514/100k
How does South Hill compare to other US cities?
Where South Hill sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income33% higher than other cities
Home value37% pricier than other cities
Median rent62% pricier than other cities
Safety8% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
Zoom in to just Virginia and the picture shifts: South Hill ranks #109 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares South Hill 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 South Hill near the bottom of Virginia's cities
Among the 619 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, South Hill ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares South Hill only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#366 of 558
34th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 619
0th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#386 of 567
32nd percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#116 of 616
81st percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#347 of 618
43rd 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
33rd percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
South Hill's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
South Hill'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 South Hill's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$182,100Among the most affordablemore affordable than 63% 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
South Hill's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.1×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#7,215 of 15,516
More affordable than 53% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#6,014 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 3.1×, South Hill sits in the moderate band:
national rank #7,215 of 15,516 and #6,014 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
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
$58,633South Hill, VA median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context South Hill, 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 South Hill, VA.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)23.9%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)14.9%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)54.7%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
4,737
Median Income
$58,633
Median Home Value
$182,100
Median Age
43.1
Poverty Rate
14.9%
Labor force participation
54.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.9%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
3899.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
404.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3495.7
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.
Schools
Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
South Hill's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
4,690 residents
2021
4,731 residents
2022
4,758 residents
2023
4,882 residents
2024
4,918 residents
2025
4,889 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
12
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.5
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
10
10
0
$1.9M
2020
35
13
22
$3.6M
2021
27
7
20
$4.6M
2022
87
20
67
$10.7M
2023
19
13
6
$1.8M
2024
12
10
2
$2.8M
Permit volume increased 20% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
89.7%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
5.5%
Based on 2,059 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 South Hill. 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 South Hill 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 South Hill sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How South Hill 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, 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.