PlainZIP

South Hill, VA · standard

ZIP Code 23970

Mecklenburg County, Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

8,254
26/sq mi
$65,170
Median income
$205,000
Median home value
21.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

South Hill pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

39th pct
household income, US ZIPs
45th pct
home value, US ZIPs
26
people per sq mi
59%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 23970 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 23970 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in South Hill, Mecklenburg County, Virginia, home to 8,254 residents across 313.8 square miles, a density of 26 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 23970 reports a modest median household income of $65,170 (24% below the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $46,031. Local economic indicators show a 16.7% poverty rate alongside 3.1% unemployment. Median home value sits at $205,000 (39% below the state average), median rent at $1,098 a month, and owner-occupancy at 59.4%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.5, and the average commute is 22 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 2 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 23970, plus 6 more within Mecklenburg County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 23970

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in South Hill, VA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 23970.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 23970, South Hill, VA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

8,254

Population

313.8

Area (sq mi)

26

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 23970?

45.5

Median Age

48.1%

Male

51.9%

Female

6.6%

Foreign-Born

White 52.0%
African American 36.6%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$65,170

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$46,031

Per Capita Income

16.7%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

22.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 23970 ranks nationally

South Hill, VA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$65,170 39th percentile higher than 39% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 52.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

4,180

Total Housing Units

3,652

Occupied Units

528

Vacant Units

2.18

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 59.4%
Renter 40.6%

$205,000

Median Home Value

-39% vs state

$1,098

Median Rent

1984

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+14.6%

YoY Change (2024)

208

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+108%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 23970 have increased 14.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +108% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 132
2021 +8.4% 143
2022 +24.9% 179
2023 +1.6% 182
2024 +14.6% 208

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 340 business establishments in ZIP 23970, employing approximately 5,121 people with a combined annual payroll of $209,850,000.

340

Businesses

5,121

Employees

$209.8M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 67 19.7%
Health care and social assistance 49 14.4%
Other services (except public administration) 45 13.2%
Accommodation and food services 38 11.2%
Construction 22 6.5%
Finance and insurance 20 5.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 17 5.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 5.0%
Transportation and warehousing 14 4.1%
Manufacturing 13 3.8%
Wholesale trade 11 3.2%
Information 8 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 1.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 23970 vs 23915 →

ZIP 23970 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 23970 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 23970 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 23970 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
23915 Baskerville, VA 1,220 6.4 mi
23950 La Crosse, VA 3,348 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County

23924 standard
Chase City, VA
Pop: 6,232
23927 standard
Clarksville, VA
Pop: 4,381
23917 standard
Boydton, VA
Pop: 3,684
23950 standard
La Crosse, VA
Pop: 3,348
23919 standard
Bracey, VA
Pop: 2,666
24529 standard
Buffalo Junction, VA
Pop: 1,724

Related Areas

Mecklenburg County South Hill, VA Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 23970 in? ▼
ZIP code 23970 (South Hill) is located in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Mecklenburg County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mecklenburg-va.
What is the population of ZIP code 23970? ▼
ZIP code 23970 in South Hill, VA has a population of 8,254 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 23970? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 23970 is $65,170, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 23970? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 23970 is $205,000, which is 26% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 23970? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 23970 is White at 52.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 23970? ▼
ZIP code 23970 has 340 business establishments employing approximately 5,121 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 23970? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 23970 are: Retail trade (67), Health care and social assistance (49), Other services (except public administration) (45). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 23970? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 23970 increased by 14.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 108%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 23970? ▼
In ZIP code 23970, 52.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 23970? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 23970 is 22.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 23970? ▼
In ZIP code 23970, approximately 59.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 40.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 23970? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 23970 is 16.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.