Smyth County, Virginia

Smyth County
County
Smyth County Courthouse in Marion
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°50′N 81°32′W / 36.84°N 81.53°W / 36.84; -81.53
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Founded	1832
Named for	Alexander Smyth
Seat	Marion
Largest town	Marion
Area
• Total	452 sq mi (1,170 km2)
• Land	451 sq mi (1,170 km2)
• Water	1.4 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	29,800
• Density	66/sq mi (25/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th
Website	www.smythcounty.org

Smyth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,800.^[1] Its county seat is Marion.^[2]

Smyth County was formed on February 23, 1832, from Washington and Wythe counties. The county is named after Alexander Smyth, a general during the War of 1812 who was elected to the state Senate, House of Delegates, and as a Representative to the United States Congress.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 452 square miles (1,170 km²), of which 451 square miles (1,170 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) (0.3%) is water.^[3] Smyth County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,^[4] and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.^[5]

• Russell County – northwest
• Tazewell County – north
• Bland County – northeast
• Wythe County – east
• Grayson County – south
• Washington County – southwest

• Jefferson National Forest (part)
• Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (part)

• I-81
• US 11
• SR 16
• SR 42
• SR 91
• SR 107

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	6,522		—
1850	8,162		25.1%
1860	8,952		9.7%
1870	8,898		−0.6%
1880	12,160		36.7%
1890	13,360		9.9%
1900	17,121		28.2%
1910	20,326		18.7%
1920	22,125		8.9%
1930	25,125		13.6%
1940	28,861		14.9%
1950	30,187		4.6%
1960	31,066		2.9%
1970	31,349		0.9%
1980	33,366		6.4%
1990	32,370		−3.0%
2000	33,081		2.2%
2010	32,208		−2.6%
2020	29,800		−7.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8] 1990–2000[9] 2010[10] 2020[11]

Smyth County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010[10]	Pop 2020[11]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	30,642	27,762	95.14%	93.16%
Black or African American alone (NH)	630	408	1.96%	1.37%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	41	36	0.13%	0.12%
Asian alone (NH)	82	104	0.25%	0.35%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	1	0.01%	0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	18	49	0.06%	0.16%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	265	882	0.82%	2.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	527	558	1.64%	1.87%
Total	32,208	29,800	100.00%	100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 33,081 people, 13,493 households, and 9,607 families residing in the county. The population density was 73 inhabitants per square mile (28/km²). There were 15,111 housing units at an average density of 33 units per square mile (13 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.86% White, 1.87% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,493 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.60% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 90.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,083, and the median income for a family was $36,392. Males had a median income of $26,698 versus $19,712 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,105. About 9.90% of families and 13.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 14.00% of those age 65 or over.

The Smyth County Tourism Association was formed in April 2006 to promote sustainable tourism development and manages the operation of the state-certified H.L. Bonham Regional Development and Tourism Center. The organization markets the area through https://visitsmythcountyva.com/

• Chilhowie High School, Chilhowie
• Marion Senior High School, Marion
• Northwood High School, Saltville

• Blue Ridge Job Corps, Marion

• Chilhowie
• Marion
• Saltville (partly in Washington County)

• Adwolfe
• Atkins
• McMullin
• Seven Mile Ford
• Sugar Grove

• Groseclose
• Rich Valley

United States presidential election results for Smyth County, Virginia^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	11,521	79.63%	2,805	19.39%	142	0.98%
2020	10,963	77.55%	3,008	21.28%	165	1.17%
2016	9,750	75.64%	2,665	20.67%	475	3.69%
2012	8,379	65.58%	4,171	32.64%	227	1.78%
2008	7,817	63.54%	4,239	34.46%	246	2.00%
2004	7,906	64.18%	4,143	33.63%	270	2.19%
2000	6,580	56.05%	4,836	41.19%	324	2.76%
1996	4,966	42.74%	4,990	42.95%	1,663	14.31%
1992	6,128	47.39%	4,924	38.08%	1,879	14.53%
1988	7,446	63.49%	3,989	34.02%	292	2.49%
1984	8,593	67.08%	4,102	32.02%	116	0.91%
1980	6,033	50.86%	5,335	44.98%	493	4.16%
1976	5,032	47.29%	5,246	49.30%	363	3.41%
1972	6,409	72.27%	2,280	25.71%	179	2.02%
1968	5,297	54.32%	2,631	26.98%	1,823	18.70%
1964	3,830	48.16%	4,113	51.72%	9	0.11%
1960	4,256	59.62%	2,864	40.12%	18	0.25%
1956	4,771	66.23%	2,374	32.95%	59	0.82%
1952	3,694	64.98%	1,972	34.69%	19	0.33%
1948	2,897	60.08%	1,750	36.29%	175	3.63%
1944	2,726	54.53%	2,266	45.33%	7	0.14%
1940	2,134	46.70%	2,420	52.95%	16	0.35%
1936	2,067	46.75%	2,337	52.86%	17	0.38%
1932	1,843	43.92%	2,287	54.50%	66	1.57%
1928	2,751	58.68%	1,937	41.32%	0	0.00%
1924	2,232	53.50%	1,907	45.71%	33	0.79%
1920	1,883	55.16%	1,516	44.41%	15	0.44%
1916	1,321	53.63%	1,134	46.04%	8	0.32%
1912	609	27.46%	1,022	46.08%	587	26.47%

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Smyth County, Virginia

36°50′N 81°32′W / 36.84°N 81.53°W / 36.84; -81.53