The Town Files

Amherst County, Virginia

31,485 people. The median home is worth $212,400 (typical Virginia town: $298,050) and the median household earns $68,724.

Towns in Amherst County

Towns in Amherst County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Madison Heights10,893$191,300$60,21544.4

People and housing

Amherst CountyTypical Virginia town
Median home value$212,400$298,050
Median rent$871$1,254
Median household income$68,724$78,595
Median age43.439.8
Bachelor's degree or higher24.7%31.2%
Below the poverty line10.8%8.8%

Jobs and pay

8,168 jobs in 2024, average pay $47,248 a year.

Largest industries in Amherst CountyManufacturing1,670 jobs · $70,092Retail1,118 jobs · $31,848Hotels & restaurants683 jobs · $22,131Construction428 jobs · $59,177Professional & technical serv…177 jobs · $68,249Other services171 jobs · $33,225
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Amherst County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 3.2%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 613 storm events in Amherst County from 1996 to 2026, with 4 deaths.

Storm events in Amherst County by type since 1996Hail64Flood19Drought17High Wind46Ice Storm13Heavy Snow23Flash Flood26Frost/Freeze23Winter Storm57Winter Weather72
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Amherst County has been included in 23 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 23, 2026Winter StormEM-3631: Severe Winter Storm
April 2, 2020BiologicalDR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3448: Covid-19
September 11, 2018HurricaneEM-3403: Hurricane Florence
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3359: Hurricane Sandy
July 27, 2012Severe StormDR-4072: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).