Richmond, Virginia Population 2023

233,330

Richmond is a city located in Chesterfield County, Goochland County, and Henrico County Virginia. It is also the county seat of Henrico County. With a 2023 population of 233,330, it is the 5th largest city in Virginia and the 102nd largest city in the United States.Richmond is currently growing at a rate of 0.97% annually and its population has increased by 2.97% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 226,610 in 2020. Spanning over 63 miles, Richmond has a population density of 3,894 people per square mile.

The average household income in Richmond is $76,182 with a poverty rate of 23.5%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Richmond is 34.1 years, 33.5 years for males, and 34.7 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:

  • Black or African American: 46.11%
  • White: 45.2%
  • Two or more races: 4.14%
  • Other race: 2.3%
  • Asian: 2.08%
  • Native American: 0.16%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.01%
The current population of Richmond, Virginia is 233,330 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 226,610.

Richmond, Virginia Population 2023

Population by Race

Black or African American

White

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Richmond Population by Race

Richmond Population Pyramid 2023

Richmond Median Age

34.1

Total

33.5

Male

34.7

Female

Richmond Adults

There are 189,380 adults, (30,140 of whom are seniors) in Richmond.

Richmond Age Dependency

44

Age Dependency Ratio

18.9

Old Age Dependency Ratio

25

Child Dependency Ratio

Richmond Sex Ratio

Female120,52452.58%
Male108,70947.42%

Richmond Population by Age

Richmond Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.36

Average Family Size

2.4

Average Household Size

43.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Richmond Households and Families

Male

Female

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

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 82.76%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 58.45%.

Richmond Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$36,629

Average Earnings

$39,402

Average Male

$34,935

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

90.3% of Richmond residents speak only English, while 9.7% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.76% of the population.

Richmond Language

Richmond Poverty by Race

rate

23.5%

Overall Poverty Rate

18.7%

Male Poverty Rate

22.87%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Richmond

The race most likely to be in poverty in Richmond is Black, with 34.22% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Richmond is White, with 11.33% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.21%. Among those working part-time, it was 27.96%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.87%.

Richmond Poverty

Richmond Poverty Rate by Education

Richmond Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Richmond Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Richmond Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

27.2%

Overall Marriage Rate

28.5%

Male Marriage Rate

26.0%

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 Over 65, 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

11,732

Number of Veterans

10,529

Male Veterans

1,203

Female Veterans

Richmond Veterans by War

Richmond Veterans by Age

count

Richmond Veterans by Race

Richmond Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

12.99%

Veteran Poverty Rate

25.47%

Veteran Disability Rate

Richmond Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

66.6%

Labor Force Participation

62.1%

Employment Rate

6.3%

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

60.95%

Born in Richmond

93.77%

Native Born

7.39%

Foreign Born

5.05%

Non Citizen

2.34%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

93.77% of Richmond residents were born in the United States, with 60.95% having been born in Virginia. 5.05% 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 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Richmond Population by Year