Amherst County, Virginia
Located in Virginia, Amherst County has a population of 31,485 residents and a median age of 43.4 years, making it the #1,433 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.8%. The median home value is $212,400, and the median household income is $68,724, which is 9% below the national median.
Demographics
Amherst County has a population of 31,485, making it the #1,433 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.4 years, which is 11.6% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Amherst County is $68,724, ranking #1,284 out of 3,222 counties — 8.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 10.8% and unemployment stands at 4.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Amherst County is $212,400 (-24.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $871/mo and the homeownership rate is 80.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Amherst County, 24.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 26.7% below the national average, ranking #1,270 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Amherst County is 75.5 years. 18.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.2% of adults in Amherst County smoke , 36.1% are obese , and 20.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 31.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 25.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.7 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
16.2% of children in Amherst County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.1 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 16.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Amherst County is 67.0%. The mean commute time is 26.7 min, which is 3.3% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Amherst County voted Republican with a margin of 36.5%. The vote was 31.4% Dem / 67.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Amherst County, Virginia
Amherst County, Virginia has a total population of 31,485, making it the 1,433rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Amherst County is 43.4 years, which is 11.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Amherst County is $68,724, which ranks #1,284 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 8.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.8%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.6%.
The median home value in Amherst County is $212,400, 24.7% below the national median. Renters in Amherst County pay a median gross rent of $871 per month. The homeownership rate is 80.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Amherst County, 24.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.7 min.
Amherst County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 73.7% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (16.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
All data for Amherst County, Virginia comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.