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 Moderate-density area
- $65,170
- Median income Near-median income area
- $205,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 23970 (South Hill, VA) rose +14.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 181.6 in 2023 to 208.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,031. The poverty rate is 16.7%, with unemployment at 3.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $205,000 (39% below the average Virginia ZIP), and median rent is $1,098; owner occupancy is 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. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Mecklenburg County, so 23970 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
67 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
49 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
45 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
38 establishments
- Construction 22
Construction
22 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 23970?
45.5
Median Age
48.1%
Male
51.9%
Female
6.6%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$46,031
Per Capita Income
16.7%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
22.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 23970 ranks among Virginia ZIPs
South Hill, VA household income vs. every Virginia ZIP code
Median household income among 804 reporting Virginia ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$65,170 37th percentile higher than 37% of 804 Virginia ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Virginia 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
4,180housing units
4,180
Total Housing Units
3,652
Occupied Units
528
Vacant Units
2.18
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$205,000
Median Home Value
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 23970
South Hill (23970)
8,254 residents
- 23950
La Crosse (23950)
3,348 residents
- 23915 1,220
Baskerville (23915)
1,220 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 23970 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 23970 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 23970
South Hill (23970)
$65,170 median income
- 23915
Baskerville (23915)
$50,815 median income
- 23950
La Crosse (23950)
$41,010 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 23970, both outside VA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (8,254 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Mecklenburg County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 23970's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 23970 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where South Hill, VA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.