Poverty Rates in Virginia
Severe Poverty Found in 22 Counties and 10 Major Cities
With a poverty rate of 9.5%, Virginia has the 8th lowest poverty rate in the United States. This is just slightly better than the poverty rate of Delaware, and just slightly higher than the poverty rate of Maryland.
Where the Worst Poverty in Virginia Occurs
The highest poverty rates in Virginia are found in two different types of areas.
One type being clusters of rural counties found in southern Virginia, with the exception of Montgomery County, which is urban (see map below article). The other type is composed of the heavily populated major cities of Virginia.
Unfortunately, critical rates of both rural and urban poverty are widespread throughout the state. There are 22 counties and 10 major cities experiencing critical poverty rates in Virginia.
Counties that are currently experiencing critical poverty rates (at least 50% above the state average) are the following:
- Accomack (14.9%)
- Brunswick (18.1%)
- Buchanan (21.1%)
- Buckingham (17.3%)
- Charlotte (15.2%)
- Dickenson (18.3%)
- Grayson (14.3%)
- Greensville (16.5%)
- Halifax (16.0%)
- Lee (21.1%)
- Lunenburg (17.1%)
- Mecklenburg (14.8%)
- Montgomery (14.9%)
- Northampton (17.6%)
- Nottoway (16.8%)
- Prince Edward (18.7%)
- Richmond (15.8%)
- Russell (16.5%)
- Scott (14.9%)
- Sussex (17.7%)
- Tazewell (15.7%)
- Wise (19.2%)
Major cities (25,000 or more people) experiencing critical poverty rates are the following:
- Blacksburg (43.2%)
- Charlottesville (25.9%)
- Danville (20.0%)
- Harrisonburg (30.1%)
- Lynchburg (15.9%)
- Norfolk (19.4%)
- Petersburg (19.6%)
- Portsmouth (16.2%)
- Richmond (21.4%)
- Roanoke (15.9%)
Why the Worst Poverty in Virginia Exists
Since critical poverty rates occur in both rural and urban areas of Virginia, it is important to cover both to understand why each area is prone to such severe poverty.
In rural areas, when the most critical poverty rates are all isolated into a specific area like they are in southern Virginia, this can cause a negative stigma to begin being associated with the area.
This negative stigma can make the region an unattractive place for expanding businesses, teachers and health care professionals.
This leads to a low amount of available jobs, low quality education, and low quality health care, which all make the problem of poverty even worse in the region.
As for the major cities with critical levels of poverty, there seems to be a trend of two major problems. These problems are that the cost of living is too high, and the wages in the area are too low.
Unlike in rural areas, people living in heavily populated urban areas are completely reliant on the market for their most basic needs. These needs include things like water, food, shelter, education, health care, and insurance.
If these basic items cost more than what a minimum-wage job can afford, pockets of poverty will begin to grow in the city.
These pockets of the city will begin to experience the same isolation and negative stigma associated with entire rural regions of the state on a much smaller scale.
All of this aside, it is important to keep in mind that the reasons for poverty are as unique as the individuals who live through it. Though finding trends in a specific area is important, no generalization can account for everyone.
What is Being Done about Poverty in Virginia
In rural areas of Virginia, organizations such as the USDA Rural Development branch and Habitat for Humanity help the poorest Virginians.
In urban areas, organizations like the Red Cross, United Way, Second Harvest, and Poverty USA are some of the biggest poverty fighters.
Other allies to those in need within urban areas are national legislators who fought for a higher minimum wage. A higher minimum wage will make it easier for individuals to sustain themselves and their families without federal assistance.
References:
United States Census Bureau
