Virginia · GEOID 51009

Amherst County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 31,485 · 14,364 housing units

Median household income

$68,724

State $99,933

Median home value

$212,400

State $421,251

Median gross rent

$871

State $1,592

Homeownership rate

80.8%

State 67.3%

Renter cost-burden rate

41.9%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

17.3%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

1.3%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

3.2%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

11.6%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

3.09

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Amherst County	Virginia
Population	31,485	8,705,170
Population density (per sq. mi.)	66.43	—
Median household income	$68,724	$99,933
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$88,300	—
Households	12,694	—
Average household size	2.40 people	—
Owner-occupied	80.8%	67.3%
Renter-occupied	19.2%	32.7%
Race	74.2% White · 17.0% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Amherst County compared with Virginia.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

24.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 42.2%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	22.8%	$44,718	$1,118	$135,436
1 earner	26.8%	$72,822	$1,821	$240,049
2 earners	39.0%	$111,419	$2,785	$383,720
3+ earners	11.4%	$145,350	$3,634	$510,022

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

12,694

Average size: 2.40 people

Households with children

2,427

19.1% of households

Per-capita income

$35,580

Poverty rate: 10.4%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

80.8% owner-occupied vs. state average 67.3%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 79.9% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 8.0%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

51.9% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,978.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $212,400.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $871.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 1,670 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 8.2% · For rent 4.9% · Seasonal 26.9% · Other 59.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

13.5% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 86.5% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

3.1%

449 units of 14,364 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

6.9%

996 units of 14,364 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$54,979

100% MHI$68,724

120% MHI$82,469

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Amherst County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$49,500	$56,550	$70,650
100% AMI	$61,810	$70,640	$88,300
120% AMI	$74,150	$84,750	$105,950

HUD FMR Area: Lynchburg, VA MSA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

41.9% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (23.2% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

17.3% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Amherst County.

Covered employment

6,355

Across 18 sectors

Establishments

756

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$48,569

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	1,670	$70,075	$229,823	+$17,423	$1,752
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	1,118	$31,858	$87,567	−$124,833	$796
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	831	$45,643	$138,879	−$73,521	$1,141
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	683	$22,136	$51,378	−$161,022	$553
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	516	$49,240	$152,268	−$60,132	$1,231
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	470	$58,939	$188,371	−$24,029	$1,473
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	177	$68,088	$222,427	+$10,027	$1,702
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	171	$33,306	$92,957	−$119,443	$833
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	156	$57,696	$183,745	−$28,655	$1,442
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	136	$49,198	$152,112	−$60,288	$1,230
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	104	$25,844	$65,181	−$147,219	$646
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	102	$36,212	$103,774	−$108,626	$905
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	68	$47,605	$146,182	−$66,218	$1,190
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	41	$50,174	$155,745	−$56,655	$1,254
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	40	$47,033	$144,053	−$68,347	$1,176
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	38	$26,454	$67,451	−$144,949	$661
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	26	$58,813	$187,902	−$24,498	$1,470
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	8	$40,512	$119,780	−$92,620	$1,013

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	831	$45,643	$138,879	−$73,521	$1,141
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	679	$32,569	$90,213	−$122,187	$814
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	436	$60,126	$192,790	−$19,610	$1,503
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	429	$64,786	$210,136	−$2,264	$1,620
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	353	$29,784	$79,847	−$132,553	$745
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	311	$61,914	$199,445	−$12,955	$1,548
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	243	$40,382	$119,296	−$93,104	$1,010
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	220	$60,445	$193,977	−$18,423	$1,511
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	200	$40,438	$119,504	−$92,896	$1,011
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	198	$67,736	$221,117	+$8,717	$1,693
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	195	$34,182	$96,218	−$116,182	$855
NAICS 339 Miscellaneous manufacturing NAICS 339	192	$46,780	$143,112	−$69,288	$1,170
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	177	$68,088	$222,427	+$10,027	$1,702
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	125	$51,320	$160,011	−$52,389	$1,283
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	104	$29,829	$80,014	−$132,386	$746
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	96	$40,827	$120,952	−$91,448	$1,021
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	95	$53,048	$166,443	−$45,957	$1,326
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	89	$34,803	$98,529	−$113,871	$870
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	80	$21,262	$48,125	−$164,275	$532
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	77	$51,596	$161,038	−$51,362	$1,290
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	64	$53,229	$167,117	−$45,283	$1,331
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	63	$56,189	$178,135	−$34,265	$1,405
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	60	$26,582	$67,928	−$144,472	$665
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	57	$42,002	$125,326	−$87,074	$1,050
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	55	$37,197	$107,440	−$104,960	$930
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	49	$66,735	$217,391	+$4,991	$1,668
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	48	$22,990	$54,557	−$157,843	$575
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	38	$26,454	$67,451	−$144,949	$661
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	34	$62,709	$202,405	−$9,995	$1,568
NAICS 113 Forestry and logging NAICS 113	32	$48,951	$151,193	−$61,207	$1,224
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	26	$58,813	$187,902	−$24,498	$1,470
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	24	$33,209	$92,596	−$119,804	$830
NAICS 519 Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services NAICS 519	22	$28,108	$73,608	−$138,792	$703
NAICS 312 Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing NAICS 312	21	$17,845	$35,406	−$176,994	$446
NAICS 622 Hospitals NAICS 622	18	$55,343	$174,986	−$37,414	$1,384
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	18	$27,544	$71,509	−$140,891	$689
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	16	$29,133	$77,423	−$134,977	$728
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	14	$42,583	$127,489	−$84,911	$1,065
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	13	$66,027	$214,755	+$2,355	$1,651
NAICS 814 Private households NAICS 814	11	$18,754	$38,789	−$173,611	$469
NAICS 925 Administration of housing programs, urban planning, and community development NAICS 925	10	$23,348	$55,890	−$156,510	$584
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	8	$40,512	$119,780	−$92,620	$1,013
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	4	$43,232	$129,905	−$82,495	$1,081
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	3	$78,506	$261,206	+$48,806	$1,963

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	3,280	(480)	(13%)	$14.11	$29,360	$78,268	$734
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	2,810	(200)	(7%)	$14.15	$29,430	$78,529	$736
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	280	(90)	(24%)	$14.97	$31,140	$84,894	$779
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	2,950	(240)	(8%)	$16.09	$33,470	$93,567	$837
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,590	(310)	(16%)	$16.52	$34,350	$96,843	$859
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	600	220	58%	$19.51	$40,570	$119,996	$1,014
Tellers SOC 43-3071	210	(330)	(61%)	$19.67	$40,910	$121,261	$1,023
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	1,300	(710)	(35%)	$19.97	$41,540	$123,606	$1,039
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	1,410	(270)	(16%)	$20.01	$41,620	$123,904	$1,041
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	1,440	(780)	(35%)	$20.61	$42,860	$128,520	$1,072
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	260	90	53%	$20.76	$43,170	$129,674	$1,079
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	480	(80)	(14%)	$24.39	$50,730	$157,815	$1,268
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	880	(10)	(1%)	$25.00	$52,000	$162,542	$1,300
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	1,410	(100)	(7%)	$26.51	$55,150	$174,268	$1,379
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	330	—	—	$26.94	$56,020	$177,506	$1,401
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,080	210	24%	—	$56,300	$178,548	$1,408
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	430	10	2%	$28.17	$58,590	$187,072	$1,465
Electricians SOC 47-2111	380	140	58%	$28.97	$60,260	$193,289	$1,507
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	2,200	(50)	(2%)	$41.06	$85,400	$286,868	$2,135

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 51009 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.