Town · Virginia
Tappahannock, Virginia
Tappahannock, town, in Essex County, Virginia. Tappahannock had 2,193 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,193 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,908 (±325). GEOID 5177568.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,193
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,193 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,908 ±325
Median household income
$46,816
±$5,716 (90% margin)
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$218,800
±$30,254 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$942
±$78 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Tappahannock and what county is it in?
Tappahannock is a town in Essex County, Virginia. It covers 2.7 square miles of land, 822 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 Tappahannock, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,193 people lived in Tappahannock on July 1, 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than Virginia (+2.9%). The 2020 Census counted 2,193 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,908 (±325).
| Measure | Tappahannock | Essex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,908 ±325 | 10,623 | no clear change |
| Households | 987 ±193 | 4,447 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.82 ±0.24 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,139 ±199 | 5,811 | no clear change |
Tappahannock's population since 2000
From 2,068 in 2000 to 2,193 in 2025: up 6.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Tappahannock 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 Tappahannock?
The median resident of Tappahannock is 44.9 years old; 19.3% are under 18 and 22.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 46.0%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 42.1%.
| Measure | Tappahannock | Essex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9 ±4.5 | 47.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.3% ±6.8 pts | 17.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.7% ±7.7 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Male | 47.5% ±6.6 pts | 44.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% ±2.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 42.1% ±9.5 pts | 53.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 46.0% ±11.0 pts | 36.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±4.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±4.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.7% ±4.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.6% ±4.2 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.9% ±4.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 24.2% ±8.6 pts | 17.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.5% ±5.9 pts | 8.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.0% ±4.5 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.9% ±6.6 pts | 16.6% | −10.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.1% ±2.5 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.4% ±7.5 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 Tappahannock earn?
Half of Tappahannock's 987 households earn less than $46,816 a year (±$5,716), against $56,520 in Essex County and $93,170 in Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $44,920 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tappahannock | Essex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,816 ±$5,716 | $56,520 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,025 ±$11,998 | $81,300 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,313 ±$7,672 | $37,139 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.2% ±11.1 pts | 12.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 39.0% ±32.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.5% ±10.2 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 83.6% ±8.5 pts | 86.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 79.7% ±9.6 pts | 81.2% | – |
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 Tappahannock?
Owners occupy 31.0% of Tappahannock's occupied homes and renters 69.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $218,800 by its owner (±$30,254). The median renter pays $942 a month including utilities, and 42.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tappahannock | Essex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $218,800 ±$30,254 | $238,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $942 ±$78 | $972 | −$124 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.9% ±16.3 pts | 46.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,165 ±$201 | $1,426 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 31.0% ±11.0 pts | 71.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 69.0% ±11.0 pts | 28.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,139 ±199 | 5,811 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 9.2% ±13.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 39.9% ±9.9 pts | 73.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.1% ±2.6 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.4% ±0.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.9% ±4.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.9% ±9.0 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 Tappahannock work and get to work?
76.6% of Tappahannock's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 32.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tappahannock | Essex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.3% ±10.8 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±4.8 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.6% ±10.7 pts | 78.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.6% ±8.4 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.4% ±1.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.4% ±7.2 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.8 min ±10.1 | 38.5 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 Tappahannock?
1 census tract lies mostly in Tappahannock (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9507Essex County | 3,836 | $52,366 |
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 Tappahannock) · Census block assignment files
How does Tappahannock compare with other places in Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Tappahannock is the 7,368th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 93rd-most populous of 227 in Virginia.
Tappahannock ranks 333rd 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 | 93rd | 227 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 74th | 139 |
| Residents per square mile | 251st | 374 |
| Median household income | 333rd | 365 |
| Per capita income | 274th | 374 |
| Median home value | 277th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 257th | 341 |
| Poverty rate | 18th | 263 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 329th | 359 |
| Median age | 76th | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 361st | 368 |
| Travel time to work | 62nd | 372 |
Tappahannock's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Tappahannock 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 Tappahannock?
22 of the 57 figures for Tappahannock 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 Tappahannock 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 Tappahannock.