Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety46#8,425/15,637
Economy34#10,257/15,631
Housing44#8,390/14,977
Health16#13,118/15,609
Healthcare5#14,918/15,650
Environment79#3,314/15,453
Education81#2,930/15,649
Infrastructure6#14,715/15,650
Community55#7,076/15,651
Leisure & amenities89#1,715/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Colonial Beach, Virginia ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Westmoreland County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Social associations · high17.4 /10k
96/100Virginia 11.1 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWestmoreland County value
Property crime rate · low411 /100k
93/100Virginia 1,354 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationWestmoreland County value
Gyms and fitness centers · high2.0 /10k
92/100Virginia 1.6 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWestmoreland County value
Unemployment rate · low1.3%
90/100Virginia 3.4%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025High uncertainty
Grocery stores · high2.5 /10k
89/100Virginia 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWestmoreland County value
Students per teacher · low11.6×
88/100Virginia 13.4×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsWestmoreland County value

Weaknesses

Mental health providers · low21 /100k
1/100Virginia 284 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWestmoreland County value
Dentists · low11 /100k
1/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWestmoreland County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low22.0%
1/100Virginia 83.8%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWestmoreland County value
Average weekly wage · low$879
4/100Virginia $1,540United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWestmoreland County value
Preventable hospital stays · high4,479 /100k
4/100Virginia 2,649 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWestmoreland County value
Primary care physicians · low21 /100k
6/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWestmoreland County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
3,574 (2015-2019) → 3,966 (2020-2024)
+11%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
71.1% (2015-2019) → 54.2% (2020-2024)
−17 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
19.3% (2015-2019) → 8.0% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Median household incomeImproving
$43,594 (2015-2019) → $60,513 (2020-2024)
+39%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Unemployment rateImproving
7.7% (2015-2019) → 1.3% (2020-2024)
−6.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
83.0% (2015-2019) → 88.6% (2020-2024)
+5.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Colonial Beach, Virginia improved on 4 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Uninsured−11 points19.3% → 8.0%
Inequality−0.0750.505 → 0.430
Household income+39%$43,594 → $60,513
Broadband+5.6 points83.0% → 88.6%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Colonial Beach, Virginia between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	38.5 min2015-2019	40.1 min2020-2024	+1.6 min	Within the margin of error	31%
Bachelor's degree or higher	25.6%2015-2019	28.8%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Within the margin of error	53%
Broadband subscriptions	83.0%2015-2019	88.6%2020-2024	+5.6 points	Improved	35%
Child poverty rate	36.7%2015-2019	34.2%2020-2024	−2.5 points	Within the margin of error	58%
Effective property tax rate	0.95%2015-2019	0.83%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	38%
High school diploma or higher	90.7%2015-2019	90.1%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	27%
Home price to income ratio	5.2×2015-2019	4.4×2020-2024	−0.7×	Within the margin of error	96%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5052015-2019	0.4302020-2024	−0.075	Improved	91%
Median household income	$43,5942015-2019	$60,5132020-2024	+39%	Improved	72%
Poverty rate	20.0%2015-2019	24.4%2020-2024	+4.4 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Rent as share of income	35.5%2015-2019	31.4%2020-2024	−4.1 points	Within the margin of error	79%
Rent-burdened households	71.1%2015-2019	54.2%2020-2024	−17 points	Within the margin of error	91%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	19.3%2015-2019	8.0%2020-2024	−11 points	Improved	97%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Colonial Beach, Virginia five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Colonial Beach, Virginia in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Colonial Beach, Virginia itself moved +7.5 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,966 residents (±23)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 20–29 men (+6.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

3,966 residents (±23)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

White72%2,863
Black20%774
Hispanic or Latino1.0%†38

Education

3,015 residents (±205)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

No high school diploma9.9%†298
High school or GED38%1,160
Some college14%†429

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,793 households (±220)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $25k20%†357
$25k–50k18%†321
$50k–75k23%†405
$75k–100k12%†219
$100k–150k16%†286
$150k–200k7.6%†136
$200k or more3.8%†69

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,793 households (±220)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Own80%1,433
Rent20%†360

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+22.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

343 households (±141)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $75060%†205
$750–1,0002.0%†7
$1,000–1,5007.6%†26

Home values

1,433 homes (±233)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $150k8.2%†118
$150k–250k34%†491
$250k–400k46%655

Age of homes

2,510 homes (±249)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

2010 or later7.6%†191
2000–200927%†668
1980–199915%†385

Size of homes

2,510 homes (±249)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Studio1.3%†33
1 bedroom2.5%†62
2 bedrooms17%†418

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,358 workers (±237)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Drive alone83%1,132
Carpool0.9%†12
Public transit0.0%0
Walk4.5%†61
Bike0.0%0
Work from home11%†146
Other0.5%†7

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Carpool (−7.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,212 workers (±242)

Colonial Beach, Virginia
Virginia share

Under 15 min16%†193
15–29 min16%†188
30–44 min22%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Westmoreland County, the county holding most of Colonial Beach's residents.

Westmoreland County has 338 employer establishments, 178 for every 10,000 residents (0.72× the US rate of 248; 0.74× Virginia's), with 2,149 paid employees at an average annual pay of $36,908. The Census Bureau also counts 1,418 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 338; 1,418 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 178; US 248 · Virginia 241
Paid employees: 2,149
Average annual pay: $36,908; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Westmoreland County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	27	14.2	0.77×Fewer than typical	204	$27,887	6
Religious organizations	26	13.7	2.47×More than typical	105	$14,924	—
Construction of buildings	23	12.1	1.60×More than typical	50	$49,500	59
Full-service restaurants	23	12.1	1.58×More than typical	131	$30,954	3
Specialty trade contractors	22	11.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	69	$45,391	118
Automotive repair and maintenance	13	6.9	1.36×More than typical	22	$36,273	31
Grocery and convenience stores	10	5.3	1.78×More than typical	218	$24,642	—
Truck transportation	10	5.3	1.04×About typical	19	$49,053	39
Accounting, tax preparation and payroll services	9	4.7	1.17×Too few to compare	22	$23,045	35
Building equipment contractors	9	4.7	0.79×Too few to compare	29	$40,897	28
Gasoline stations	9	4.7	1.46×Too few to compare	62	$36,742	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	9	4.7	0.70×Too few to compare	22	$38,682	128

Rank places for an industry Open Westmoreland County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 18,978 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $931.7K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Colonial Beach, Virginia: $235 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $931.7K; +1.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $235; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.1%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of Housing and Urban Development$884.1K95%
National Park Service$47.6K5.1%

Top recipients

CAPITOL MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES, INC.$884.1K95%
SUPERIOR STRUCTURES LLC$28.5K3.1%
ANCHORBUILT, LLC$13.5K1.5%
DDL GROUP LLC$2,6610.3%
ADEPT PATRIOT SERVICES LLC$1,0030.1%

Spending by fiscal year

18.7KFY2017
29.6KFY2018
8.1KFY2019
8.4KFY2020
17.5KFY2021
94.5KFY2022
49.7KFY2023
398.7KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$884.1K95%
Building equipment contractors · 2382$28.8K3.1%
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors · 2381$13.5K1.5%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$2,6610.3%
Investigation and security services · 5616$1,0030.1%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Colonial Beach, Virginia, so they do not add up across cities.

Colonial Beach, Virginia's figures are part of those of Westmoreland County, VA ($22.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 4.1% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Colonial Beach is mostly in Westmoreland County.

See federal money in Westmoreland County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Colonial Beach, Virginia is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Robert J. WittmanR-VA-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 2.5%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Westmoreland County41100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Westmoreland County

Largest first.

Montross375

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5118400

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends