1st Advantage MortgageAbout 71% of Accomack County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $58,993. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Accomack County
- How much Accomack County households make
- How Accomack County residents earn a living
- Accomack County housing compared with Virginia
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Accomack County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Accomack County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Accomack County
- Room for a loan payment in Accomack County
- Before you sign
- Virginia rules that apply in Accomack County
- More guides for Accomack County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Accomack County
Accomack County is home to about 33,335 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 54th most populous of 133 county-level areas in Virginia. It covers 449 square miles of land, or about 74 people per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Accomack County is not part of any metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 49 places in the county (14 incorporated, 35 census-designated); the largest is Chincoteague, with about 3,296 residents, or 10% of the county.
How much Accomack County households make
Accomack County households have a median income of $58,993 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 94th of 133 in Virginia.
| Household income | Accomack County | vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.3% | +10.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.9% | +10.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.0% | -9.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.7% | -12.0 pts |
Some 28% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 26% have six-figure incomes. 13.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.9%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.450 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $58,993 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Accomack County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Accomack County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 20% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 15% locally and 7% for Virginia. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.4% in Accomack County. About 73% drive to work alone and 8% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Top industries | Accomack County share | +/- vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.2% | -2.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.4% | +8.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.6% | +1.8 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 8.3% | +7.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -9.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.2% | -0.8 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Accomack County housing compared with Virginia
A typical Accomack County rental runs $977 a month including utilities, which is 38% below Virginia. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 41% of renter households here. With a median value of $204,300, a typical Accomack County house costs 3.5 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 71% of homes.
| Cost | Accomack County | Virginia figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $977/mo | $1,579/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $204,300 | $383,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 18.7% | 4.3% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 34% | 9% | n/a |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Accomack County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 49 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 63% of Accomack County residents live in one of the 49. Captains Cove has the highest median household income on the list ($110,156) and Accomac the lowest ($45,986), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 49 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chincoteague | town | 3,296 | $62,917 | $1,081 | 25 mi |
| Captains Cove | CDP | 1,542 | $110,156 | n/a | 24 mi |
| Wattsville | CDP | 1,439 | $69,380 | $983 | 18 mi |
| Onancock | town | 1,433 | $54,500 | $904 | 4 mi |
| Accomac | town | 948 | $45,986 | $952 | 6 mi |
| Parksley | town | 867 | $76,875 | $1,012 | 6 mi |
| Pastoria | CDP | 863 | $46,884 | $916 | 7 mi |
| Belle Haven | town | 836 | $62,917 | $1,061 | 15 mi |
| Onley | town | 678 | $57,837 | $908 | 6 mi |
| Nelsonia | CDP | 608 | $88,685 | $759 | 10 mi |
| Bloxom | town | 571 | $66,875 | $1,114 | 9 mi |
| Gargatha | CDP | 564 | $64,375 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Melfa | town | 468 | $28,958 | $841 | 8 mi |
| Horntown | CDP | 466 | n/a | n/a | 21 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (22 to 40 miles). All of the six report a higher median household income than Accomack County; Worcester County is highest at $81,745 and Northampton County lowest at $61,632. Some neighbors are in Maryland. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Accomack County resident follows Virginia rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack County | - | $58,993 | $977/mo | 71% |
| Somerset County, MD | 22 mi | $64,943 | $1,013/mo | 73% |
| Northampton County, VA | 33 mi | $61,632 | $829/mo | 66% |
| Northumberland County, VA | 35 mi | $66,480 | $1,038/mo | 86% |
| Lancaster County, VA | 36 mi | $69,713 | $1,033/mo | 81% |
| Mathews County, VA | 37 mi | $75,880 | $1,032/mo | 84% |
| Worcester County, MD | 40 mi | $81,745 | $1,159/mo | 78% |
Accomack County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 22% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 11.0%, against 6.9% for Virginia.
| Measure | Accomack County | Virginia statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.6 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.7% | 42.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.4% | 8.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 11.0% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 18.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.4% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Accomack County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 37.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 38.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.2% |
| 60+ min | 3.9% |
Before borrowing in Accomack County
A few patterns in the Accomack County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Hospital bills in Accomack County. For the 11% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- 19% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Fixed incomes. Accomack County's median age is 47.6. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
Room for a loan payment in Accomack County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Accomack County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $4,916 before taxes
- Median rent: $977, or 20 cents of every gross dollar
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $989 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Accomack County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Virginia rules that apply in Accomack County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Accomack County borrowers answers to the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Virginia state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Accomack County
For statewide rules and data, see the Virginia guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Accomack County earn?
The median is $58,993; 26% earn $100,000 or more and 28% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Accomack County rent compare with Virginia?
$977 locally versus $1,579 for the state, 38% below.
Should Accomack County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 71% of Accomack County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Chincoteague?
Yes, along with the other 48 Census places in Accomack County, such as Captains Cove, Wattsville, Onancock.
Is the fit check different in Accomack County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.