Richmond County, Virginia

Not to be confused with the independent city of Richmond, the capital of Virginia.

Richmond County is a county located on the Northern Neck in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 8,923.^[1] Its county seat is Warsaw.^[2] The rural county should not be confused with the large city and state capital Richmond, Virginia. It was formed in 1692 when the first Rappahannock County was divided to form Richmond County and Essex County.

Richmond County
County
Richmond County Courthouse in Warsaw
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°56′N 76°43′W
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Founded	1692
Named after	Richmond, London or Charles Lennox
Seat	Warsaw
Largest town	Warsaw
Area
• Total	216 sq mi (560 km2)
• Land	191 sq mi (490 km2)
• Water	25 sq mi (60 km2)  11.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,923
• Density	41/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	co.richmond.va.us

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 216 square miles (560 km²), of which 191 square miles (490 km²) is land and 25 square miles (65 km²) (11.5%) is water.^[3]

Adjacent counties

• Westmoreland County – north
• Northumberland County – east
• Lancaster County – southeast
• Essex County – southwest

National protected area

• Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part) Franklin, Island Farm, Laurel Grove, Peter, Tayloe, Wellford, Wilna, Wright units; Menokin, Wellford easements

Major highways

• US 360
• SR 3
• SR 203
• SR 608
• SR 642
• SR 624

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	6,985		—
1800	13,744		96.8%
1810	6,214		−54.8%
1820	5,706		−8.2%
1830	6,055		6.1%
1840	5,965		−1.5%
1850	6,448		8.1%
1860	6,856		6.3%
1870	6,503		−5.1%
1880	7,195		10.6%
1890	7,146		−0.7%
1900	7,088		−0.8%
1910	7,415		4.6%
1920	7,434		0.3%
1930	6,878		−7.5%
1940	6,634		−3.5%
1950	6,189		−6.7%
1960	6,375		3.0%
1970	5,841		−8.4%
1980	6,952		19.0%
1990	7,273		4.6%
2000	8,809		21.1%
2010	9,254		5.1%
2020	8,923		−3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[4] 1790–1960[5] 1900–1990[6] 1990–2000[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]

2020 census

Richmond County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010[8]	Pop 2020[9]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	5,755	5,564	62.19%	62.36%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,793	2,419	30.18%	27.11%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	24	16	0.26%	0.18%
Asian alone (NH)	39	42	0.42%	0.47%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	2	0	0.02%	0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	4	5	0.04%	0.06%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	127	280	1.37%	3.14%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	510	597	5.51%	6.69%
Total	9,254	8,923	100.00%	100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2000 Census

Age pyramid for Richmond County, based on census 2000 data

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 8809 people, 2,937 households, and 2,000 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile (18 people/km²). There were 3,512 housing units at an average density of 18 units per square mile (6.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 64.77% White, 33.17% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 2.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,937 households, out of which 27.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.90% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.40% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 31.80% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 17.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 127.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 131.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,026, and the median income for a family was $42,143. Males had a median income of $30,722 versus $21,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,675. About 11.90% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.20% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

In 2004 the Menokin Bluegrass Festival (later changed to Menokin Music Festival) was launched in Richmond County at the ruins of Francis Lightfoot Lee's (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) ancestral home, Menokin. The festival attracts thousands of music fans every year in a celebration of the Northern Neck's historical legacy.

Government

Supervisors of Richmond County (2022) are:^[11]

• Richard E. Thomas Sr. (District 1, Vice Chair)
• John David Parr (District 2)
• William C. Herbert, II (District 3)
• Robert B. Pemberton (District 4)
• F. Lee Sanders (District 5, chair)

The County Administrator is R. Morgan Quicke.^[12]

Education

Richmond County Public Schools operates 2 public school campuses with about 1300 total students enrolled.^[13] Richmond County Elementary / Middle School serves grades K-7, and Rappahannock High School serves grades 8–12.^[14] The current Superintendent (2022) is Bernard S. "Trey" Davis III.^[15]

Communities

Rural scene in Richmond County

Town

• Warsaw

Unincorporated communities

• Farnham
• Foneswood
• Haynesville
• Lyells
• Rich Neck
• Sharps
• Village
• Newland

Germans Corner another locality name in the county. It is about 1.5 miles north of Naylors Beach, at the junction of Virginia State Route 636 and Virginia State Route 624. It is named from Wilber L. Jerman, who built a large dwelling at the location in 1923, and lived there until 1946. Jerman's wife Cleva May was deeded 50 acres extending from the south and west of the corner from her father in 1920. Over time the original "Jerman's Corner" has come to be misspelled and known as "German's Corner."^[16]

Politics

United States presidential election results for Richmond County, Virginia^[17]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	2,697	64.71%	1,439	34.52%	32	0.77%
2020	2,547	62.09%	1,513	36.88%	42	1.02%
2016	2,213	60.45%	1,347	36.79%	101	2.76%
2012	2,160	57.29%	1,574	41.75%	36	0.95%
2008	2,092	55.86%	1,618	43.20%	35	0.93%
2004	2,082	61.95%	1,243	36.98%	36	1.07%
2000	1,784	60.50%	1,076	36.49%	89	3.02%
1996	1,424	50.91%	1,101	39.36%	272	9.72%
1992	1,609	52.75%	1,034	33.90%	407	13.34%
1988	1,862	66.24%	924	32.87%	25	0.89%
1984	1,869	68.46%	830	30.40%	31	1.14%
1980	1,567	62.81%	854	34.23%	74	2.97%
1976	1,391	60.80%	864	37.76%	33	1.44%
1972	1,565	77.55%	435	21.56%	18	0.89%
1968	1,011	48.86%	490	23.68%	568	27.45%
1964	901	58.51%	636	41.30%	3	0.19%
1960	801	64.96%	425	34.47%	7	0.57%
1956	761	67.89%	274	24.44%	86	7.67%
1952	727	68.91%	326	30.90%	2	0.19%
1948	296	48.13%	240	39.02%	79	12.85%
1944	336	47.93%	364	51.93%	1	0.14%
1940	257	34.68%	475	64.10%	9	1.21%
1936	217	32.49%	451	67.51%	0	0.00%
1932	192	29.14%	461	69.95%	6	0.91%
1928	467	61.53%	292	38.47%	0	0.00%
1924	125	26.54%	340	72.19%	6	1.27%
1920	206	39.09%	321	60.91%	0	0.00%
1916	180	35.36%	329	64.64%	0	0.00%
1912	110	22.36%	342	69.51%	40	8.13%

Notable people

• Annie R. Blount (1839–unknown), poet, short story writer, and newspaper editor

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Richmond County, Virginia

37.94°N 76.72°W / 37.94; -76.72