Town · Louisa County, Virginia

Louisa, Virginia

Louisa is a town in Louisa County, Virginia. It has 2,435 residents. Louisa, Virginia has a quality-of-life score of 44 out of 100 (moderate), ranking #8,833 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Virginia it ranks #287 of 375 cities and towns. It ranks best on food environment index (high), violent crime rate (low) and voter turnout (high). It ranks worst on primary care physicians (low), grocery stores (low) and distance to an emergency room (high).

44Moderate

Quality-of-life score: #8,833 of 15,651 cities and towns
Virginia: #287 of 375 in VA
Population: 2,435 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 1,339.9 /mi²
FIPS code: 5147144

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 71 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

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

Safety68#5,014/15,637
Economy59#6,458/15,631
Housing51#7,299/14,977
Health41#9,215/15,609
Healthcare15#13,258/15,650
Environment82#2,833/15,453
Education83#2,733/15,649
Infrastructure15#13,232/15,650
Community39#9,547/15,651
Leisure & amenities2#15,397/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Louisa, Virginia ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Louisa 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

Food environment index · high9.2
92/100Virginia 8.9United States 7.62019 & 2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value
Violent crime rate · low75 /100k
91/100Virginia 206 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationLouisa County value
Voter turnout · high77.1%
91/100Virginia 70.7%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionLouisa County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Virginia 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value
Unemployment rate · low1.9%
84/100Virginia 3.4%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025High uncertainty
Child care cost burden · low23.6%
82/100Virginia 24.4%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value

Weaknesses

Primary care physicians · low8 /100k
1/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value
Grocery stores · low0.5 /10k
1/100Virginia 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLouisa County value
Distance to an emergency room · high21.4 mi
2/100Virginia 5.8 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesLouisa County value
Dentists · low17 /100k
3/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low38.4%
5/100Virginia 83.8%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value
Mental health providers · low57 /100k
7/100Virginia 284 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLouisa County value

Trends

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

PopulationRising
1,744 (2015-2019) → 2,435 (2020-2024)
+40%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
59.0% (2015-2019) → 87.6% (2020-2024)
+29 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$33,226 (2015-2019) → $65,132 (2020-2024)
+96%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherImproving
76.5% (2015-2019) → 89.5% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
21.6% (2015-2019) → 33.5% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
19.4% (2015-2019) → 8.1% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%

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, Louisa, Virginia improved on 5 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 7 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.

Improved5

Household income+96%$33,226 → $65,132
Uninsured−11 points19.4% → 8.1%
Broadband+29 points59.0% → 87.6%
Poverty−10 points20.1% → 9.9%
Bachelor's++12 points21.6% → 33.5%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Louisa, Virginia between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.2 min2015-2019	29.3 min2020-2024	+4.1 min	Within the margin of error	14%
Bachelor's degree or higher	21.6%2015-2019	33.5%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	94%
Broadband subscriptions	59.0%2015-2019	87.6%2020-2024	+29 points	Improved	97%
Effective property tax rate	0.84%2015-2019	0.64%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	58%
High school diploma or higher	76.5%2015-2019	89.5%2020-2024	+13 points	Within the margin of error	98%
Home price to income ratio	6.1×2015-2019	5.3×2020-2024	−0.8×	Within the margin of error	96%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4772015-2019	0.4682020-2024	−0.009	Within the margin of error	58%
Median household income	$33,2262015-2019	$65,1322020-2024	+96%	Improved	98%
Poverty rate	20.1%2015-2019	9.9%2020-2024	−10 points	Improved	93%
Rent as share of income	33.8%2015-2019	29.6%2020-2024	−4.2 points	Within the margin of error	79%
Rent-burdened households	57.1%2015-2019	48.0%2020-2024	−9.1 points	Within the margin of error	81%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	19.4%2015-2019	8.1%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 Louisa, Virginia five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Louisa, 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, Louisa, Virginia itself moved +16.4 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

2,435 residents (±495)

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: 10–19 men (+5.7 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

2,435 residents (±495)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

White67%1,643
Black22%†525
Hispanic or Latino2.9%†70
Asian1.7%†41
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races6.4%†156

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 B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,671 residents (±304)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

No high school diploma10%†175
High school or GED27%452
Some college26%†435
Associate degree3.0%†50
Bachelor's degree21%†349
Graduate degree13%†210

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: No high school diploma (−13.0 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 B15003View 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.

Income

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

Household income

998 households (±176)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $25k19%†190
$25k–50k20%†198
$50k–75k16%†162
$75k–100k14%†135
$100k–150k18%†180
$150k–200k7.5%†75
$200k or more5.8%†58

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−20.8 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 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

998 households (±176)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Own43%428
Rent57%570

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+14.9 points).

Table view

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

Rent paid

567 households (±143)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $75016%†92
$750–1,00013%†72
$1,000–1,50043%†242

Home values

428 homes (±114)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $150k3.3%†14
$150k–250k15%†63
$250k–400k61%†261

Age of homes

1,031 homes (±174)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

2010 or later18%†190
2000–200920%†206
1980–199926%†269

Size of homes

1,031 homes (±174)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Studio0.4%†4
1 bedroom10%†107
2 bedrooms41%419

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

1,145 workers (±275)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Drive alone82%944
Carpool5.2%†60
Public transit0.0%0
Walk2.1%†24
Bike0.0%0
Work from home10%†117
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Carpool (−11.7 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

1,028 workers (±269)

Louisa, Virginia
Virginia share

Under 15 min42%†427
15–29 min17%†174
30–44 min15%†157

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 Louisa County, the county holding most of Louisa's residents.

Louisa County has 683 employer establishments, 166 for every 10,000 residents (0.67× the US rate of 248; 0.69× Virginia's), with 8,738 paid employees at an average annual pay of $55,847. The Census Bureau also counts 3,055 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 683; 3,055 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 166; US 248 · Virginia 241
Paid employees: 8,738
Average annual pay: $55,847; US $68,342

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

Specialty trade contractors	81	19.7	1.28×More than typical	607	$56,524	314
Lessors of real estate	54	13.2	1.07×About typical	276	$50,558	291
Services to buildings and dwellings	45	11	1.63×More than typical	202	$33,173	283
Building equipment contractors	42	10.2	1.70×More than typical	304	$53,339	69
Restaurants and other eating places	41	10	0.54×Fewer than typical	571	$24,515	9
Construction of buildings	38	9.3	1.22×About typical	176	$51,847	160
Real estate agents and brokers	38	9.3	1.90×More than typical	212	$54,344	87
Landscaping services	34	8.3	2.37×More than typical	126	$36,556	116
Religious organizations	30	7.3	1.32×More than typical	148	$17,872	—
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors	25	6.1	1.84×More than typical	181	$46,182	41
Gasoline stations	20	4.9	1.50×More than typical	230	$27,296	—
Other specialty trade contractors	20	4.9	1.94×More than typical	199	$59,754	93

Rank places for an industry Open Louisa County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 41,036 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

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

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

See federal money in Louisa 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.

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

House

John J. McGuire IIIR-VA-5 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 1.6%

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.

Louisa County55100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Louisa County

Largest first.

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
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

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