Charlottesville, Virginia Population 2023

47,477

Charlottesville is a city located in Albemarle County Virginia. It is also the county seat of Albemarle County. With a 2023 population of 47,477, it is the 22nd largest city in Virginia and the 943rd largest city in the United States.Charlottesville is currently growing at a rate of 0.65% annually and its population has increased by 1.98% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 46,553 in 2020. Spanning over 10 miles, Charlottesville has a population density of 4,634 people per square mile.

The average household income in Charlottesville is $93,251 with a poverty rate of 25.26%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Charlottesville is 32.3 years, 31.8 years for males, and 33.1 years for females.

Charlottesville has a long history that is very interesting, serving as the home for two U.S. presidents. The population of Charlottesville is often combined with the County of Albemarle population for statistical purposes and has a total population of about 150,000 people.

Charlottesville Diversity and Professional Life

Eighty-two percent of the employees in Charlottesville commute from other areas, with about 42% residing within Albemarle County. Over 11,000 Charlottesville residents go outside of the city for work. The largest employer is the University of Virginia Medical Center. The city and UVA Health Services Foundation also are major employers, providing jobs to thousands of people.

Charlottesville Population Growth

Charlottesville’s population grew significantly during its earliest years through the 1970s. However, growth slowed considerably in the 1980s and 1990s before declining slightly at the time of the 2000 census. However, by the next 10-year census, the population was on the upswing once again. The most recent estimates show that the population has grown by almost 8% since the last census, putting Charlottesville on the path to soon hitting 50,000 residents.

The Monasukapanough people were inhabiting what is now Charlottesville when the Europeans arrived. Charlottesville was officially established in 1762. The city saw significant growth because of its location along what is now Route 250.

The Civil War had significant impacts on the state of Virginia but Charlottesville remained relatively unharmed. The only significant damage occurred when the Charlottesville Factory was burned down on accident and was rebuilt right away. In the years that followed, the city had many notable events that occurred. The city has a strong religious history, including the introduction of the first black church in the city in the mid-1800s and being the home of the oldest synagogue in Virginia.

Another notable fact about Charlottesville is that it was home to Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Each of these former presidents served as Governor of Virginia and lived in Charlottesville during this time. The city is also home to the University of Virginia. This university, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson, has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, the city is home to many large companies and corporations, including the National Radio Astronomy Headquarters, GE, PepsiCo, and Crutchfield, to name a few. It also has seven breweries that employ many people in and out of Charlottesville. The city has many attractions including Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, Shenandoah National Park, and events including wine tours and the Virginia Film Festival.

Charlottesville Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Charlottesville was:

  • White: 69.99%
  • Black or African American: 18.55%
  • Asian: 7.02%
  • Two or more races: 3.41%
  • Other race: 0.71%
  • Native American: 0.31%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.01%
The current population of Charlottesville, Virginia is 47,477 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 46,553.

Charlottesville, Virginia Population 2023

Population by Race

White

Black or African American

Asian

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Charlottesville Population by Race

Charlottesville Population Pyramid 2023

Charlottesville Median Age

32.3

Total

31.8

Male

33.1

Female

Charlottesville Adults

There are 39,896 adults, (5,554 of whom are seniors) in Charlottesville.

Charlottesville Age Dependency

37.5

Age Dependency Ratio

16.2

Old Age Dependency Ratio

21.3

Child Dependency Ratio

Charlottesville Sex Ratio

Female24,57152.04%
Male22,64647.96%

Charlottesville Population by Age

Charlottesville Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

2.94

Average Family Size

2.36

Average Household Size

40.1%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Charlottesville Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Charlottesville Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Charlottesville Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

Charlottesville Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$43,382

Average Earnings

$46,331

Average Male

$38,487

Average Female

Charlottesville Earnings by Educational Attainment

Charlottesville Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Charlottesville Language

85.38% of Charlottesville residents speak only English, while 14.62% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 6.58% of the population.

Charlottesville Language

Charlottesville Poverty by Race

rate

25.26%

Overall Poverty Rate

21.28%

Male Poverty Rate

24.78%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Charlottesville

The race most likely to be in poverty in Charlottesville is Multiple, with 48.73% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Charlottesville is Native, with 10.66% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.36%. Among those working part-time, it was 36.71%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 42.86%.

Charlottesville Poverty

Charlottesville Poverty Rate by Education

Charlottesville Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Charlottesville Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Charlottesville Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

33.9%

Overall Marriage Rate

36.6%

Male Marriage Rate

31.4%

Female Marriage Rate

Charlottesville Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Charlottesville Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Charlottesville Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Charlottesville Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

1,788

Number of Veterans

1,625

Male Veterans

163

Female Veterans

Charlottesville Veterans by War

Charlottesville Veterans by Age

count

Charlottesville Veterans by Race

Charlottesville Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

6.17%

Veteran Poverty Rate

16.53%

Veteran Disability Rate

Charlottesville Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

63.8%

Labor Force Participation

60.9%

Employment Rate

4%

Unemployment Rate

Charlottesville Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Charlottesville Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Charlottesville Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

51.55%

Born in Charlottesville

90%

Native Born

11.43%

Foreign Born

6.59%

Non Citizen

4.84%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

90% of Charlottesville residents were born in the United States, with 51.55% having been born in Virginia. 6.59% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Charlottesville Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Charlottesville Population by Year