Census tract · Roanoke city
Census Tract 21, Roanoke city, Virginia
Census Tract 21, GEOID 51770002100, in Roanoke city, Virginia, entirely within Roanoke. 3,607 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±386); the 2020 Census counted 3,864.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,607
±386 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,864
Median household income
$81,789
±$6,377 (90% margin)
Roanoke city: $55,378
Median home value
$331,800
±$21,516 (90% margin)
Roanoke city: $190,500
Median gross rent
$1,052
±$335 (90% margin)
Roanoke city: $996
Where is Census Tract 21?
Census Tract 21 is one of 25 census tracts in Roanoke city, Virginia. It covers 2.58 square miles of land, 1,498 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 51770002100, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Roanoke | 100% |
7 census tracts border Census Tract 21: Tract 307.01 in Roanoke County ($103,849), Tract 307.02 in Roanoke County ($66,761), Tract 19 ($61,712), Tract 22 ($74,542), Tract 31 ($83,421), Tract 103 in Salem city ($51,484) and Tract 105.01 in Salem city ($57,222). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 21?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 21's population at 3,607 (±386) in 1,881 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,864 residents and 2,115 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,607 ±386 | 98,355 |
| Households | 1,881 ±250 | 43,575 |
| Average household size | 1.84 ±0.13 | 2.22 |
| Housing units | 2,145 ±246 | 49,106 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 21?
The median resident of Census Tract 21 is 61.6 years old; 12.6% are under 18 and 44.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.4%. 6.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.6 ±1.4 | 38.3 |
| Under 18 years | 12.6% ±2.0 pts | 22.6% |
| 65 years and over | 44.4% ±4.5 pts | 17.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.4% ±3.5 pts | 9.0% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.3% ±4.2 pts | 55.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.5 pts | 27.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.9 pts | 4.1% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% |
| Born outside the United States | 6.1% ±4.0 pts | 8.0% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.1% ±2.7 pts | 10.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.2% ±3.0 pts | 7.3% |
| With a disability | 19.6% ±4.7 pts | 14.6% |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.1% ±2.5 pts | 9.8% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±1.8 pts | 89.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.5% ±6.4 pts | 30.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 27.9% ±6.2 pts | 11.5% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.1% ±4.3 pts | 88.3% |
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 Census Tract 21 earn?
Half of the 1,881 households in Census Tract 21 earn less than $81,789 a year (±$6,377), against $55,378 across Roanoke city: 3rd highest of the county's 25 tracts with a reliable estimate. 4.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,789 ±$6,377 | $55,378 |
| Mean household income | $109,780 ±$12,855 | $80,578 |
| Per capita income | $58,053 ±$6,039 | $36,576 |
| People below the poverty line | 4.3% ±1.6 pts | 18.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±8.7 pts | 24.6% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.8% ±2.2 pts | 16.9% |
| Households with a computer | 86.8% ±6.1 pts | 91.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.3% ±6.2 pts | 85.7% |
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 Census Tract 21?
Owners occupy 75.0% of Census Tract 21's occupied homes and renters 25.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $331,800 by its owner (±$21,516). The median renter pays $1,052 a month including utilities, and 30.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $331,800 ±$21,516 | $190,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,052 ±$335 | $996 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.5% ±14.9 pts | 37.2% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,802 ±$101 | $1,293 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.0% ±6.4 pts | 52.4% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.0% ±6.4 pts | 47.6% |
| Housing units | 2,145 ±246 | 49,106 |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.8% ±7.6 pts | 61.7% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.9% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.5% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.2% ±1.4 pts | 3.7% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.7% ±3.2 pts | 24.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.9% ±4.4 pts | 11.0% |
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 Census Tract 21 get to work?
88.5% of Census Tract 21's workers drive alone and 7.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.4 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 48.0% ±5.8 pts | 62.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% ±1.7 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 88.5% ±4.3 pts | 74.9% |
| Carpooled | 0.9% ±1.5 pts | 7.0% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 2.4% |
| Walked | 2.3% ±1.9 pts | 1.6% |
| Worked from home | 7.5% ±3.4 pts | 11.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.4 min ±3.1 | 19.0 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
How does Census Tract 21 compare with the other tracts in Roanoke city?
Among Roanoke city's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 21 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Roanoke city | In Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17th of 25 | 17th of 25 |
| Residents per square mile | 22nd of 25 | 22nd of 25 |
| Median household income | 3rd of 25 | 3rd of 25 |
| Per capita income | 2nd of 25 | 2nd of 25 |
| Median home value | 4th of 25 | 4th of 25 |
| Median gross rent | 13th of 25 | 13th of 25 |
| Poverty rate | 23rd of 23 | 23rd of 23 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4th of 25 | 4th of 25 |
| Median age | 1st of 24 | 1st of 24 |
| Owner-occupied share | 2nd of 25 | 2nd of 25 |
The tracts next to it on Roanoke city's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 29 | 1st | $98,542±$35,817 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 31 | 2nd | $83,421±$18,161 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 21 | 3rd | $81,789±$6,377 |
| Tract 22 | 4th | $74,542±$20,141 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 18 | 5th | $70,956±$5,571 |
| Tract 23.02 | 6th | $68,750±$21,418 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 21?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 21 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections