1st Advantage MortgageAbout 80% of Isle of Wight County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $95,241. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Virginia before sharing details.
On this page
- Isle of Wight County by the numbers
- What Isle of Wight County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Isle of Wight County
- Employment and commuting in Isle of Wight County
- How Isle of Wight County compares with nearby counties
- The communities that make up Isle of Wight County
- Debt-to-income at Isle of Wight County's medians
- Isle of Wight County households compared
- Borrowing situations common in Isle of Wight County
- Steps before you apply in Isle of Wight County
- Checking a lender's license in Virginia
- More guides for Isle of Wight County
- Frequently asked questions
Isle of Wight County by the numbers
Isle of Wight County is home to about 39,974 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 45th most populous of 133 county-level areas in Virginia. Packed into 316 square miles, that is close to 127 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 7 places in the county (2 incorporated, 5 census-designated); the largest is Smithfield, with about 8,834 residents, or 22% of the county.
What Isle of Wight County households earn
The median household income in Isle of Wight County is $95,241; statewide it is $93,170, so Isle of Wight County runs 2% above Virginia as a whole. Only 27 Virginia counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Isle of Wight County | Gap to Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.9% | 0.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 34.6% | -0.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 34.6% | +5.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.9% | -4.8 pts |
Some 18% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 48% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 6.8% of Isle of Wight County residents in poverty, against 9.9% across Virginia. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.430 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Isle of Wight County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Rent, home values and ownership in Isle of Wight County
Renters in Isle of Wight County pay a median of $1,359 a month, 14% below the Virginia figure of $1,579. 43% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 25% spend half or more. Home values center on $356,500, or 3.7 years of median income. Owners occupy 80% of homes.
| Home costs | Isle of Wight County | Virginia | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,359/mo | $1,579/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $356,500 | $383,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 43% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.6% | 4.3% | n/a |
Because most Isle of Wight County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Employment and commuting in Isle of Wight County
Education and health care employs 23% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 15%. Compared with Virginia, the county leans toward manufacturing (15% against 7%). Averaged over the five survey years, 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 79% drive to work alone and 22% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 4.2% of the total (6.1% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Isle of Wight County workers | vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.0% | +0.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.1% | +8.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.2% | -5.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.6% | -1.2 pts |
| Public administration | 8.0% | -0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.5% | -0.4 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
How Isle of Wight County compares with nearby counties
Suffolk city is closest, 15 miles from center to center; the sixth, Hampton city, is 25 miles off. Suffolk city leads the group on income ($92,666), Portsmouth city trails ($60,491), and Isle of Wight County out-earns 6 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight County | - | $95,241 | $1,359/mo | 80% |
| Suffolk city, VA | 15 mi | $92,666 | $1,563/mo | 71% |
| Newport News city, VA | 16 mi | $69,634 | $1,339/mo | 48% |
| Surry County, VA | 18 mi | $78,041 | $983/mo | 80% |
| Portsmouth city, VA | 20 mi | $60,491 | $1,300/mo | 58% |
| Franklin city, VA | 20 mi | $63,245 | $988/mo | 54% |
| Hampton city, VA | 25 mi | $69,621 | $1,427/mo | 57% |
The communities that make up Isle of Wight County
The table lists the 7 largest of 7 Census places in Isle of Wight County, by population. Together all 7 hold about 24,165 people, so roughly 40% of residents live outside any named place. Smithfield has the highest median household income on the list ($113,158) and Benns Church the lowest ($56,151), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Rushmere ($875) and steepest in Carrollton ($1,789). Live in one of these Isle of Wight County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithfield | town | 8,834 | $113,158 | $1,195 | 7 mi |
| Carrollton | CDP | 8,436 | $110,956 | $1,789 | 11 mi |
| Windsor | town | 2,852 | $68,661 | $950 | 6 mi |
| Benns Church | CDP | 1,813 | $56,151 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Rushmere | CDP | 1,033 | $73,750 | $875 | 12 mi |
| Camptown | CDP | 834 | $85,560 | $1,205 | 18 mi |
| Carrsville | CDP | 363 | n/a | $1,303 | 15 mi |
Debt-to-income at Isle of Wight County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Isle of Wight County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $7,937 gross per month ($95,241 / 12)
- 17% goes to median rent ($1,359)
- At 43%, room after rent is $2,054 a month
If your rent is above $1,359, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Isle of Wight County households compared
College graduates make up 31% of the adult population. 4.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Isle of Wight County | Virginia | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 30.8% | 42.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.9% | 8.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 18.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 6.8% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.9% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 19.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 30.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 27.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.6% |
| 60+ min | 9.0% |
Borrowing situations common in Isle of Wight County
Where the Isle of Wight County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Long drives. With 22% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Isle of Wight County budgets.
- Higher earners. 48% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Steps before you apply in Isle of Wight County
Before you apply, wherever you live in Isle of Wight County:
- Price the Isle of Wight County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Verify the Virginia license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Checking a lender's license in Virginia
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Isle of Wight County borrowers answers to the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Virginia guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Isle of Wight County
For statewide rules and data, see the Virginia guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Isle of Wight County household make?
About $95,241 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 2% above the Virginia median.
How does Isle of Wight County rent compare with Virginia?
$1,359 locally versus $1,579 for the state, 14% below.
Does this page cover Smithfield?
Yes, along with the other 6 Census places in Isle of Wight County, such as Carrollton, Windsor, Benns Church.
Will a Isle of Wight County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Virginia as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Isle of Wight County residents?
The Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Virginia; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.