Roanoke, Virginia Population 2023

96,875

Roanoke is a city located in Roanoke Virginia. Roanoke has a 2023 population of 96,875. Roanoke is currently declining at a rate of -1.01% annually and its population has decreased by -3% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 99,875 in 2020.

The average household income in Roanoke is $67,598 with a poverty rate of 18.4%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Roanoke is 38 years, 37.3 years for males, and 39.1 years for females.

Roanoke is an independent city located in the Roanoke Valley. Roanoke serves as a center of commercial activity and culture throughout the region.

Roanoke Population Statistics

Roanoke’s top employer is Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, which employs more than 1,000 people. Other top employers including Roanoke City Public Schools, the City of Roanoke, and Carilion Professional Service, each of which employ at least 1,000 people.

Roanoke Population Growth

Roanoke saw significant population growth throughout history, primarily due to annexation. Between 1880 and 1890, the population jumped by over 2,000%. The city reached over 50,000 residents in 1950 and doubled that number in 1980. This was when the population peaked before it dropped by 3.8% at the time of the 1990 census. The population continued to fall through 2000 before increasing again at the 2010 census. Current estimates show that the population has risen by 2.7% since the last poll, indicating that efforts made to prevent “brain drain” and other initiatives to transform the city may be successful.

Roanoke was established as a town in 1852. At that time, the town was called Big Lick. The name came because of the outcrop of sale near the Roanoke River that attracted wildlife. The name was changed in 1882 to Roanoke, and in 1884, it was incorporated as a city.

Through its early history, the city grew quite quickly. It was designated as a stop along the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad during the mid-19th century and later, the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. The city saw very prosperous times in the year ahead. In particular, the development of coalfields and the manufacturing of steam locomotives led to the growth of the economy and the population. Today, the coal from Roanoke is used in plants and mills around the world.

Manufacturers in the early 20th century were attracted to Roanoke because of its access to the railroad. However, later in the century, the closing of plants and the conversion of the railroad to diesel resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs.

From the 1960s through the 1990s, the city’s growth slowed significantly, falling below national and state averages. This is primarily due to underemployment and many residents being unable to find satisfactory employment—or “brain drain.” The city has launched initiatives to address this problem, including the creation of a job seeker database and career fairs.

Despite these struggles, Roanoke continues to be a hub of retail and economy within the region. It is home to many businesses and headquarters, including Advance Auto Parts and Carillion Health Center. The city’s surrounding suburbs continue to grow, and according to recent estimates and the last census, the city of Roanoke’s population is once again on the rise.

Roanoke Demographics

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

  • White: 60.08%
  • Black or African American: 29.35%
  • Two or more races: 5.98%
  • Asian: 3.21%
  • Other race: 1.11%
  • Native American: 0.19%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.07%
County
Land Area (mi²)
42.5 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,278.30/sq mi
Growth Rate
-1.01% (-990)
Growth Since 2020
-3% (-3,000)
The current population of Roanoke, Virginia is 96,875 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 99,875.

Roanoke, Virginia Population 2023

Population by Race

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White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Asian

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Roanoke Population by Race

Roanoke Population Pyramid 2023

Roanoke Median Age

38

Total

37.3

Male

39.1

Female

Roanoke Adults

There are 77,289 adults, (16,591 of whom are seniors) in Roanoke.

Roanoke Age Dependency

64.1

Age Dependency Ratio

27.3

Old Age Dependency Ratio

36.7

Child Dependency Ratio

Roanoke Sex Ratio

Female52,14652.37%
Male47,43247.63%

Roanoke Population by Age

Roanoke Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.13

Average Family Size

2.29

Average Household Size

51.9%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Roanoke 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

Roanoke Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Roanoke Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 82.85%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 40.05%.

Roanoke Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$36,441

Average Earnings

$40,261

Average Male

$33,303

Average Female

Roanoke Earnings by Educational Attainment

Roanoke Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Roanoke Language

91.69% of Roanoke residents speak only English, while 8.31% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.4% of the population.

Roanoke Language

Roanoke Poverty by Race

rate

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18.4%

Overall Poverty Rate

17.37%

Male Poverty Rate

19.33%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Roanoke

The race most likely to be in poverty in Roanoke is Multiple, with 64.26% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Roanoke is Native, with 3.98% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 6.26%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.08%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.43%.

Roanoke Poverty

rate

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Roanoke Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Roanoke Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Roanoke Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Roanoke Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

34.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

36.1%

Male Marriage Rate

32.7%

Female Marriage Rate

Roanoke Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Roanoke 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 55-64.

Roanoke Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Roanoke Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

6,193

Number of Veterans

5,628

Male Veterans

565

Female Veterans

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Roanoke Veterans by War

count

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Roanoke Veterans by Age

count

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Roanoke Veterans by Race

Roanoke Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

10.36%

Veteran Poverty Rate

20.44%

Veteran Disability Rate

Roanoke Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

64.8%

Labor Force Participation

60.4%

Employment Rate

6.4%

Unemployment Rate

Roanoke Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Roanoke Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Roanoke 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

65.27%

Born in Roanoke

94.38%

Native Born

6.34%

Foreign Born

4.24%

Non Citizen

2.1%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

94.38% of Roanoke residents were born in the United States, with 65.27% having been born in Virginia. 4.24% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Roanoke Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change

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Roanoke Population by Year