• independent city
  • FIPS 51770
  • Largest town: Roanoke

Roanoke city, Virginia

Roanoke city had 97,912 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 42.5 square miles of land. It ranks 21st of 133 in Virginia by population and 104th by land area.

Population
97,912
#21 of 133 in Virginia · #633 in US
Area
42.5 sq mi
#104 of 133 in Virginia · #3,110 in US
Density
2,303 / sq mi
#19 of 133 in Virginia · #61 in US
Median household income
$51,782
#110 of 133 in Virginia · #2,576 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

Roanoke city within Virginia. Pin: Richmond.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Roanoke city

Roanoke city population, land area and income

Roanoke city had 97,912 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 42.5 square miles of land. It ranks 21st of 133 in Virginia by population and 104th by land area. That works out to 2,302.7 people per square mile, 23.9 times the US average of 96.3, and in the top tenth nationally.

The median county-equivalent in Virginia has 27,800 residents, so Roanoke city is 3.5 times that size.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $51,782 is in the bottom quarter among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

97,912

3144th1st

633rd of 3,144 (US)

Land area

43 sq mi

3144th1st

3110th of 3,144 (US)

Density

2,302.7 / sq mi

3144th1st

61st of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$51,782

3143rd1st

2576th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Virginia (133)

Population

97,912

133rd1st

21st of 133 (VA)

Land area

43 sq mi

133rd1st

104th of 133 (VA)

Density

2,302.7 / sq mi

133rd1st

19th of 133 (VA)

Median household income

$51,782

133rd1st

110th of 133 (VA)

How Roanoke city's population changed since 2020

Roanoke city lost 1,986 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a drop of 2.0%. That ranks 116th of 133 in Virginia for growth. The median Virginia county changed by +1.3%, and the state as a whole by +2.0%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, Roanoke city recorded 5,654 births and 6,326 deaths, a natural change of -672. Net international migration added +1,538 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to -2,950. The largest single component was domestic migration, which removed 2,950 people.

99.9k202098.7k202197.7k202297.5k202397.9k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
5,654
Deaths
6,326
Net international migration
+1,538
Net domestic migration
-2,950
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+409

Where Roanoke city is

The Census internal point of Roanoke city is at 37.278500, -79.958200. It sits in UTM zone 17N. The map shades Virginia's 133 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Roanoke city outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Martinsville city: +2.7%Norton city: -5.5%Charlottesville city: -3.6%Winchester city: -0.7%Bristol city: -5.7%Manassas Park city: -3.2%Fluvanna County: +5.3%Clarke County: +5.3%Lunenburg County: +0.9%Colonial Heights city: +2.8%Franklin city: +2.8%Lexington city: +6.7%Petersburg city: +2.0%Suffolk city: +8.8%Emporia city: -5.1%Middlesex County: +3.2%Fairfax city: +8.9%Fredericksburg city: +7.1%Floyd County: +1.2%Radford city: +7.2%Waynesboro city: +5.5%Hopewell city: -0.2%Staunton city: +2.1%Buena Vista city: -0.6%Covington city: -1.4%Poquoson city: +3.1%Madison County: +2.8%Falls Church city: +2.4%Franklin County: +2.1%Mecklenburg County: +1.8%Smyth County: -2.2%Pittsylvania County: -1.6%Frederick County: +6.7%Russell County: -1.3%Nottoway County: -0.1%Scott County: -0.9%Mathews County: +1.0%Stafford County: +7.1%Goochland County: +13.5%Henrico County: +1.1%Caroline County: +8.2%Prince George County: +1.2%Prince William County: +2.9%Cumberland County: +4.0%Essex County: +0.8%Fairfax County: +1.1%Henry County: -2.9%Carroll County: +0.3%Grayson County: -0.1%Louisa County: +11.4%James City County: +5.5%Albemarle County: +4.2%Lynchburg city: +1.7%King William County: +7.3%Charles City County: -2.7%Northumberland County: +4.7%Alexandria city: -0.0%Salem city: +2.0%Galax city: +0.3%Isle of Wight County: +5.8%Newport News city: -1.6%Tazewell County: -3.8%Amherst County: +1.1%Manassas city: +2.2%Buckingham County: +1.7%Shenandoah County: +2.7%Richmond city: +3.0%Alleghany County: -3.7%Culpeper County: +6.4%Warren County: +4.1%Northampton County: -1.7%Southampton County: -0.1%Portsmouth city: -1.5%Rockingham County: +4.6%Orange County: +7.1%Sussex County: -0.4%Bland County: -1.1%Chesapeake city: +2.1%Harrisonburg city: -1.0%Powhatan County: +6.4%Virginia Beach city: -1.1%Dinwiddie County: +2.5%Campbell County: -0.5%Gloucester County: +3.7%Greene County: +5.5%Page County: -0.0%Halifax County: -1.4%Hanover County: +4.6%Buchanan County: -8.0%Highland County: +4.8%Surry County: +0.4%Westmoreland County: +3.9%Wythe County: -0.8%Greensville County: -2.2%Roanoke city: -2.0%Loudoun County: +4.9%Spotsylvania County: +8.1%Brunswick County: -0.5%King George County: +7.4%Bedford County: +3.3%Patrick County: -1.6%Lancaster County: +1.4%Nelson County: +0.2%Montgomery County: -0.6%Amelia County: +3.4%York County: +1.7%Norfolk city: -2.8%Williamsburg city: +3.6%Bath County: -2.8%Accomack County: +0.0%Washington County: +0.4%Pulaski County: -0.7%Rockbridge County: -1.3%Roanoke County: +0.4%Wise County: -3.0%Fauquier County: +3.9%Craig County: -1.0%Charlotte County: -2.4%Richmond County: +3.3%Lee County: -1.5%Chesterfield County: +6.7%Danville city: -1.4%King and Queen County: +2.4%Prince Edward County: +1.7%Hampton city: +0.2%Appomattox County: +4.9%Botetourt County: +1.5%Arlington County: +0.4%Rappahannock County: +2.1%New Kent County: +17.7%Augusta County: +1.3%Giles County: -1.5%Dickenson County: -4.7%
Change 2020 to 2024
  1. < -1.4%
  2. < +0.3%
  3. < +2.1%
  4. < +4.7%
  5. ≥ +4.7%
no data

Orange pin: Roanoke city internal point. Dark pin: Richmond.

Internal point

Decimal
37.278500, -79.958200
DMS
37°16'42.60"N 79°57'29.52"W
UTM
17N 592357.5E 4126276.6N
Geohash
dnxhhd25n
Plus code
879272HR+CP

Towns in Roanoke city

One incorporated place of 1,000+ people has residents in Roanoke city, 97,912 people together, or 100% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Roanoke city; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Roanoke with 97,912.

  1. 01Roanoke97,912
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Roanoke city

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 2 neighbors for Roanoke city. The most populous is Roanoke County, VA, with 97,334 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Richmond and the nearest big city

Richmond is 139.7 miles E of Roanoke city's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Greensboro, NC (population 307,381), 82.1 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Roanoke, VA (population 97,912), 0.0 miles away.

Roanoke city FIPS code

The FIPS code of Roanoke city is 51770: state code 51 for Virginia plus independent city code 770. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $51,782.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Roanoke city, Virginia?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 97,912. That is down 1,986 people (2.0%) from the July 2020 estimate of 99,898.

What is the FIPS code of Roanoke city?

51770. The first two digits (51) are Virginia; the last three (770) identify the independent city.

What is the largest town in Roanoke city?

Roanoke, with 97,912 residents inside Roanoke city in 2024.

Which counties border Roanoke city?

2 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Roanoke County, VA; Salem city, VA.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.