1st Advantage MortgageMiddlesex County households have a median income of $75,060 and median rent of $1,059 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Middlesex County
- What Middlesex County households earn
- What it costs to live in Middlesex County
- The Middlesex County job picture
- The communities that make up Middlesex County
- How Middlesex County compares with nearby counties
- What a median Middlesex County budget can carry
- Middlesex County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Middlesex County
- Checking a lender's license in Virginia
- Checklist for Middlesex County applicants
- More guides for Middlesex County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Middlesex County
Roughly 10,847 residents live in Middlesex County, Virginia, 113th by population among the state's 133 counties and county equivalents. Packed into 130 square miles, that is close to 83 residents for every square mile of land. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Middlesex County is not part of any metropolitan area. Deltaville is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 958 people (9% of the county total).
What Middlesex County households earn
Middlesex County households have a median income of $75,060 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 56th of 133 in Virginia.
| Band | Middlesex County | Compared with Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.1% | +3.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.6% | +5.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.7% | +2.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.6% | -11.1 pts |
About 21% of households earn under $35,000, while 38% clear $100,000. Census counts 7.3% of Middlesex County residents in poverty, against 9.9% across Virginia. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.410 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Middlesex County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
What it costs to live in Middlesex County
Renters in Middlesex County pay a median of $1,059 a month, 33% below the Virginia figure of $1,579. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 64% of renter households here. With a median value of $352,200, a typical Middlesex County house costs 4.7 times what the median household earns in a year. 87% of Middlesex County households own their home and 13% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1982.
| Home costs | Middlesex County | Virginia | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,059/mo | $1,579/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $352,200 | $383,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 87% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 64% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.5% | 4.3% | n/a |
Because most Middlesex 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. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
The Middlesex County job picture
The biggest employer of Middlesex County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (12%). The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 25% locally and 22% for Virginia. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.9% in Middlesex County. Long commutes are common here: 31% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 2.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Middlesex County share | +/- vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.2% | +2.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.1% | -4.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.7% | +0.9 pts |
| Construction | 8.5% | +2.0 pts |
| Public administration | 7.8% | -1.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.9% | -1.1 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
The communities that make up Middlesex County
Here are the 3 most populous of the county's 3 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 19% of Middlesex County residents live in one of the 3. This guide covers each of the 3 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltaville | CDP | 958 | $70,231 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Saluda | CDP | 615 | n/a | n/a | 4 mi |
| Urbanna | town | 495 | $62,917 | $967 | 3 mi |
How Middlesex County compares with nearby counties
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Middlesex County's, from 9 to 24 miles away. Income ranges from $66,480 in Northumberland County to $109,985 in James City County; 3 of these neighbors top Middlesex County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County | - | $75,060 | $1,059/mo | 87% |
| Lancaster County, VA | 9 mi | $69,713 | $1,033/mo | 81% |
| Gloucester County, VA | 14 mi | $84,306 | $1,096/mo | 80% |
| Mathews County, VA | 19 mi | $75,880 | $1,032/mo | 84% |
| Northumberland County, VA | 19 mi | $66,480 | $1,038/mo | 86% |
| King and Queen County, VA | 22 mi | $70,469 | $1,004/mo | 76% |
| James City County, VA | 24 mi | $109,985 | $1,552/mo | 77% |
What a median Middlesex County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Middlesex County's medians:
- $75,060 a year is $6,255 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $1,059, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,193 a month
- $1,631: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
If your rent is above $1,059, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Middlesex County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 34% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 5.6%, against 6.9% for Virginia.
| Measure | Middlesex County | Virginia statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.5 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.8% | 42.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.7% | 8.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.6% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.5% | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 22.7% | 18.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 16.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.2% |
| 60+ min | 18.5% |
Before borrowing in Middlesex County
What the Middlesex County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Long drives. With 31% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Middlesex County budgets.
- Benefit income. With half of residents older than 56, lenders often see pension and Social Security income, which counts like wages.
- Tight rental budgets. With 64% of Middlesex County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Checking a lender's license in Virginia
Consumer lenders serving Middlesex 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. See the Virginia state guide for the statewide picture.
Checklist for Middlesex County applicants
A short checklist for Middlesex County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Middlesex County-area credit union.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Virginia borrowers.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
More guides for Middlesex County
The Virginia guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Middlesex County a high-income county?
Its $75,060 median ranks 56th of 133 Virginia counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Middlesex County?
$1,059 a month at the median, about 17% of median household income.
I live in a small Middlesex County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Deltaville, Saluda, Urbanna.
Does living in Middlesex 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 Middlesex County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Middlesex County?
Start with the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.