1st Advantage MortgageMathews County households have a median income of $75,880 and median rent of $1,032 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- Who lives in Mathews County
- Household income in Mathews County
- Work, industries and travel time in Mathews County
- Mathews County housing compared with Virginia
- Towns and communities in Mathews County
- Mathews County and the counties next door
- A Mathews County household budget, worked through
- More Mathews County figures
- Reading the Mathews County data as a borrower
- Checking a lender's license in Virginia
- Checklist for Mathews County applicants
- More guides for Mathews County
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Mathews County
Roughly 8,540 residents live in Mathews County, Virginia, 118th by population among the state's 133 counties and county equivalents. Packed into 86 square miles, that is close to 99 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 2 places in the county (0 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Mathews, with about 941 residents, or 11% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Mathews County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Household income in Mathews County
The median household income in Mathews County is $75,880; statewide it is $93,170, so Mathews County runs 19% below Virginia as a whole.
| Households earning | Mathews County | +/- vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.9% | 0.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.7% | +10.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.6% | -2.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.9% | -7.8 pts |
About 18% of households earn under $35,000, while 36% clear $100,000. Census counts 7.8% of Mathews County residents in poverty, against 9.9% across Virginia. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.441 here. A household earning below the $75,880 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Mathews County
Education and health care employs 20% of working residents, the largest share; construction is next with 18%. Compared with Virginia, the county leans toward construction (18% against 7%). Averaged over the five survey years, 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 25% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 18% work from home. 4.1% of households have no vehicle.
| Where residents work | Mathews County | Difference from Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.8% | -2.5 pts |
| Construction | 17.6% | +11.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.6% | +1.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.8% | +0.9 pts |
| Public administration | 7.7% | -1.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.7% | +1.2 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Mathews County housing compared with Virginia
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,032 in Mathews County versus $1,579 statewide. 42% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 26% spend half or more. With a median value of $360,900, a typical Mathews County house costs 4.8 times what the median household earns in a year. 84% of Mathews County households own their home and 16% rent. Median construction year: 1976.
| Home costs | Mathews County | Virginia | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,032/mo | $1,579/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $360,900 | $383,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 84% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 25% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 27% | 9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Mathews County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Towns and communities in Mathews County
2 Census places fall mainly inside Mathews County; the 2 biggest are below. They account for 1,455 residents, leaving about 83% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. No Mathews County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 2.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathews | CDP | 941 | $55,481 | n/a | 3 mi |
| Gwynn | CDP | 514 | $84,375 | n/a | 5 mi |
Mathews County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 14 to 21 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $61,632 in Northampton County to $120,972 in Poquoson city; 3 of these neighbors top Mathews County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathews County | - | $75,880 | $1,032/mo | 84% |
| Gloucester County, VA | 14 mi | $84,306 | $1,096/mo | 80% |
| York County, VA | 16 mi | $109,956 | $1,827/mo | 72% |
| Middlesex County, VA | 19 mi | $75,060 | $1,059/mo | 87% |
| Poquoson city, VA | 21 mi | $120,972 | $1,707/mo | 85% |
| Northampton County, VA | 21 mi | $61,632 | $829/mo | 66% |
| Lancaster County, VA | 21 mi | $69,713 | $1,033/mo | 81% |
A Mathews County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Mathews County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $75,880 a year is $6,323 of gross monthly income
- Housing at the median rent of $1,032 uses 16%
- At 35%, room after rent is $1,181 a month
- $1,814: what a 45% ratio leaves once rent is paid
If your rent is above $1,032, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
More Mathews County figures
College graduates make up 28% of the adult population. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Mathews County | Virginia statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.0 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 28.4% | 42.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.2% | 8.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.8% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.1% | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 17.6% | 18.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 24.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.1% |
| 60+ min | 19.7% |
Reading the Mathews County data as a borrower
What the Mathews County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Keeping the car running. At 25% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Mathews County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Older households. A 55.0 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Checking a lender's license in Virginia
Consumer lenders serving Mathews County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Virginia that is the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Virginia guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Mathews County applicants
A short checklist for Mathews County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Mathews County-area credit union.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Virginia.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
More guides for Mathews County
The Virginia guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Mathews County?
$75,880 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $93,170 for Virginia. It ranks 53rd of 133 in the state.
How does Mathews County rent compare with Virginia?
$1,032 locally versus $1,579 for the state, 35% below.
Which towns does the Mathews County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 2 Census places: Mathews, Gwynn.
Does living in Mathews County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Mathews County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders for Mathews 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.