Richmond, Virginia Population 2024

231,782

Richmond is a city located in Richmond City Virginia. Richmond has a 2024 population of 231,782. Richmond is currently growing at a rate of 0.52% annually and its population has increased by 2.1% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 227,008 in 2020.

The average household income in Richmond is $90,543 with a poverty rate of 19.47%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Richmond is 34.5 years, 34 years for males, and 35 years for females.

Richmond was first was incorporated in 1742 and later became an independent city in 1871. Richmond is the location of many government agencies for both the state and the nation and has a long and interesting history.

Richmond Population Statistics

Richmond is very diverse when it comes to population and is the location of many historic churches. The city also has religious institutions for Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and other groups.

One of the drawbacks of the city is its history of high crime rates. During the 1990s, the murder rate of Richmond was one of the highest in the nation. During the early 2000s, the city was consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the US. However, Richmond has seen a decline in its crime rates, dropping 47% between 2004 and 2009. Though these rates remain on the decline, the city still has rates that fall above national and state averages.

Richmond Population Growth

The city of Richmond overall has seen steady growth throughout its history. However, it did experience declining growth during the censuses taken in 1990 and 2000. This could be due to the high crime rate and its ranking as one of the most dangerous cities in America. However, the census taken between 2000 and 2010 showed that the population was on the upswing again, and current estimates indicate that the population has risen over 9% since the last census taken in 2010. The economic opportunities and a declining crime rate are contributing factors to the city’s population rising once again.

After the settlement of Jamestown, Christopher Newport and other explorers made their way northwest to what is currently Richmond. At the time, the inhabitants were the Powhatans. Plans to settle the area and create a town began in 1737. Just five years later, Richmond was first incorporated as a town. In 1780, it took over the role of the state capital from Williamsburg.

Many important historical events occurred in Richmond. The “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech spoken by Patrick Henry was delivered in 1775 by Patrick Henry at St. John’s Church, located in Richmond. The city was destroyed by the British in 1781 but bounced back in just one year. After the war, Richmond took on the role of a significant industrial center. Other important historical events occurred during and after the war, including the signing of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

The state seceded from the US in 1861 and became part of the Confederate States of America. It was a target for Union armies and required much of the Army of Northern Virginia to defend it. The city continued to thrive. It was a railroad hub, had one of the largest slave markets and also had an arms factory and iron foundry that were critical during the Civil War.

Following the Civil War, Richmond once again bounced back economically. Tobacco was a big part of the economy, and it was also the site of the first electric trolley system in the country.

When the 20th century rolled around, the city was the most densely populated in the south. Richmond had a large population of black residents, many of whom became quite successful. Richmond’s Jackson Ward was nicknamed "Wall Street of Black America" due to the success of these residents. During the early 1900s, the city also began developing performing arts venues and had its radio station. During the 1960s, more than 700 buildings were built in the downtown area, and in 1970, the borders of Richmond expanded to encompass 27 additional square miles.

In recent years, the city has become a center for entertainment and nightlife. Today, the economy is driven by finance, law, and government. It is home to one of the US courts of appeals, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and multiple Fortune 500 companies.

Richmond Demographics

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

  • White: 44.62%
  • Black or African American: 43.96%
  • Two or more races: 5.67%
  • Other race: 3.3%
  • Asian: 2.26%
  • Native American: 0.16%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.05%
Land Area (mi²)
59.9 sq mi
Density (mi²)
3,868.0/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
2.1% (4,774)
The current population of Richmond, Virginia is 231,782 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 227,008.

Richmond, Virginia Population 2024

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White101,36844.62%
Black or African American99,85543.96%
Two or more races12,8705.67%
Other race7,4873.3%
Asian5,1282.26%
Native American3550.16%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1080.05%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Richmond Population by Race

Richmond Population Pyramid 2024

Richmond Median Age

34.5

Total

34

Male

35

Female

Richmond Adults

There are 188,255 adults, (31,242 of whom are seniors) in Richmond.

Richmond Age Dependency

44.7

Age Dependency Ratio

19.9

Old Age Dependency Ratio

24.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Richmond Sex Ratio

Female119,13952.44%
Male108,03247.56%

Richmond Population by Age

Richmond Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All101,2012.1443.256.8
Non Family56,9181.3731.468.6
Married25,6142.8973.826.2
Female14,0153.5738.661.4
Male4,6543.2332.867.2

3.03

Average Family Size

2.14

Average Household Size

43.2%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Richmond Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Richmond Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Richmond Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 71.08%.

Richmond Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$44,656

Average Earnings

$48,427

Average Male

$41,570

Average Female

Richmond Earnings by Educational Attainment

Richmond Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Richmond Language

89.85% of Richmond residents speak only English, while 10.15% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 6.36% of the population.

Richmond Language

Richmond Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Black96,52026,05426.99%
White91,5559,68410.58%
Hispanic16,0513,61722.53%
Multiple12,1142,43120.07%
Other7,2211,49420.69%
Asian3,8181,22732.14%
Native3369127.08%

19.47%

Overall Poverty Rate

17.47%

Male Poverty Rate

21.29%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Richmond

The race most likely to be in poverty in Richmond is Asian, with 32.14% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Richmond is White, with 10.58% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.27%. Among those working part-time, it was 26.84%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.56%.

Richmond Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade34.12%
High School21.28%
Some College15.57%
Bachelors or Greater5.31%

Richmond Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed46.95%
Male Unemployed24.65%
Female Employed12.08%
Male Employed6.96%

Richmond Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Richmond Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Richmond Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

29.5%

Overall Marriage Rate

31.4%

Male Marriage Rate

27.8%

Female Marriage Rate

Richmond Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Richmond Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Richmond Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Richmond Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

10,449

Number of Veterans

9,084

Male Veterans

1,365

Female Veterans

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Richmond Veterans by War

count

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Richmond Veterans by Age

count

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Richmond Veterans by Race

Richmond Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

13.46%

Veteran Poverty Rate

23.29%

Veteran Disability Rate

Richmond Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

68%

Labor Force Participation

63.5%

Employment Rate

6.1%

Unemployment Rate

Richmond Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Richmond Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Richmond 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

59.94%

Born in Richmond

92.58%

Native Born

7.42%

Foreign Born

4.96%

Non Citizen

2.46%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

92.58% of Richmond residents were born in the United States, with 59.94% having been born in Virginia. 4.96% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Richmond Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029237,7491,1930.5%
2028236,5561,1940.51%
2027235,3621,1930.51%
2026234,1691,1940.51%
2025232,9751,1930.51%
2024231,7821,1940.52%
2023230,5881,1930.52%
2022229,3951,7930.79%
2021227,6025940.26%
2020227,008-4,019-1.74%
2019231,0271,4060.61%
2018229,6212,0010.88%
2017227,6201,9510.86%
2016225,6694,5852.07%
2015221,0843,8461.77%
2014217,2383,2181.5%
2013214,0203,0981.47%
2012210,9224,4352.15%
2011206,4872,1121.03%
2010204,37500%
2000197,790-5,266-2.59%
1990203,056-16,158-7.37%
1980219,214-30,118-12.08%
1970249,33229,37413.35%
1960219,958-10,352-4.49%
1950230,31037,26819.31%
1940193,04210,1135.53%
1930182,92911,2626.56%
1920171,66744,03934.51%
1910127,62842,57850.06%
190085,0503,6624.5%
189081,38817,78827.97%
188063,60012,56224.61%
187051,03813,12834.63%
186037,91010,34037.5%
185027,5707,41736.8%
184020,1534,09325.49%
183016,0603,99333.09%
182012,0672,33223.95%
18109,7353,99869.69%
18005,7371,97652.54%
17903,761-233,988-98.42%
showing: 42 rows

Richmond Population by Year