Alton, VA · standard
ZIP Code 24520
Halifax County, Virginia — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,450
- 10/sq mi
- $42,841
- Median income
- $120,500
- Median home value
- 19.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Alton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 7th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 17th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 10
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 24520 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 24520 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 240.2 square miles in Alton, Halifax County, Virginia. The area is home to 2,450 residents, producing a population density of 10 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 24520 against Virginia and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 24520 sits at $42,841 (50% below the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $25,013. The poverty rate stands at 16.4% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is $120,500 (64% below the state average) with median rent at $756 per month, and 77.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 24520 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 19.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.6, and the average commute is —. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Halifax County, so you can benchmark 24520 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 24520
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 24520.
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
4 establishments
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
3 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 24520, Alton, VA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
2,450
Population
240.2
Area (sq mi)
10
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 24520?
56.6
Median Age
51.8%
Male
48.2%
Female
0.0%
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?
$42,841
Median Household Income
-50% vs state
$25,013
Per Capita Income
16.4%
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 24520 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$42,841 7th percentile higher than 7% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
1,082
Total Housing Units
915
Occupied Units
167
Vacant Units
2.11
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$120,500
Median Home Value
-64% vs state
$756
Median Rent
1986
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 29 business establishments in ZIP 24520, employing approximately 312 people with a combined annual payroll of $11,686,000.
29
Businesses
312
Employees
$11.7M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 7 | 24.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 24.1% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 13.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 10.3% |
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 24520 vs 27343 →
ZIP 24520 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 24592
South Boston (24592)
13,934 residents
- 24520 2,450
Alton (24520)
2,450 residents
- 27343 1,716
Semora (27343)
1,716 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 24520 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 24520 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27343
Semora (27343)
$79,931 median income
- 24592
South Boston (24592)
$51,547 median income
- 24520
Alton (24520)
$42,841 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 24520 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Halifax County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 24520 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 24520? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 24520? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 24520? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 24520? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 24520? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 24520? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 24520? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 24520? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 24520? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Alton, VA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.