Amherst, VA · standard
ZIP Code 24521
Amherst County, Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,576
- 18/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $73,571
- Median income Near-median income area
- $240,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 29.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Amherst pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 48%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 45%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 18
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 24521 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 24521 (Amherst, VA) rose +10.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 214.2 in 2023 to 236.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 24521 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Amherst, Amherst County, Virginia, home to 10,576 residents across 600.9 square miles, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 24521 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,571 (14% below the average Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,299. The poverty rate is 10.8%, with unemployment at 4.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $240,900 (28% below the average Virginia ZIP), and median rent is $846; owner occupancy is 81.6%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Amherst County, so 24521 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 24521
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Amherst, VA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 24521.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
35 establishments
- Construction
Construction
31 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
29 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
23 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
17 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 24521, Amherst, 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
10,576
Population
600.9
Area (sq mi)
18
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 24521?
43.0
Median Age
47.0%
Male
53.0%
Female
2.0%
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?
$73,571
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$40,299
Per Capita Income
10.8%
Poverty Rate
4.9%
Unemployment Rate
25.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 24521 ranks among Virginia ZIPs
Amherst, 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)
$73,571 49th percentile higher than 49% 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
4,627housing units
4,627
Total Housing Units
4,136
Occupied Units
491
Vacant Units
2.52
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$240,900
Median Home Value
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$846
Median Rent
1982
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
+10.5%
YoY Change (2024)
237
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+137%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 24521 have increased 10.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.6% | 157 |
| 2021 | +7.5% | 169 |
| 2022 | +18.0% | 200 |
| 2023 | +7.4% | 214 |
| 2024 | +10.5% | 237 |
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 205 business establishments in ZIP 24521, employing approximately 1,823 people with a combined annual payroll of $88,749,000.
205
Businesses
1,823
Employees
$88.7M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 35 | 17.1% |
| Construction | 31 | 15.1% |
| Retail trade | 29 | 14.2% |
| Manufacturing | 23 | 11.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 17 | 8.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 12 | 5.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 5.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 7 | 3.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 3.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 3.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 3.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 1.9% |
| Information | 4 | 1.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.5% |
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 24521 vs 24595 →
ZIP 24521 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 24521
Amherst (24521)
10,576 residents
- 24595 679
Sweet Briar (24595)
679 residents
- 22964 261
Piney River (22964)
261 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 24521 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 24521, 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 (10,576 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Amherst County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 24521 in?
ZIP code 24521 (Amherst) is located in Amherst County, Virginia. Amherst County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/amherst-va.
What is the population of ZIP code 24521?
ZIP code 24521 in Amherst, VA has a population of 10,576 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 24521?
The median household income in ZIP 24521 is $73,571, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 24521?
The median home value in ZIP 24521 is $240,900, which is 13% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 24521?
The largest racial group in ZIP 24521 is White at 78.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 24521?
ZIP code 24521 has 205 business establishments employing approximately 1,823 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 24521?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 24521 are: Other services (except public administration) (35), Construction (31), Retail trade (29). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 24521?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 24521 increased by 10.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 24521?
In ZIP code 24521, 62.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.1% 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 24521?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 24521 is 25.3 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 24521?
In ZIP code 24521, approximately 81.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 24521?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 24521 is 10.8% 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 24521's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 24521 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Amherst, 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.