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. Its county seat is Warsaw. 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.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (11.5%) is water.

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

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Richmond County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)4,7065,0045,6165,7555,56467.69%68.80%63.75%62.19%62.36%Black or African American alone (NH)2,1872,1862,9132,7932,41931.46%30.06%33.07%30.18%27.11%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)28824160.03%0.11%0.09%0.26%0.18%Asian alone (NH)3232839420.04%0.32%0.32%0.42%0.47%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census020xx0.00%0.02%0.00%Other race alone (NH)401450.06%0.00%0.01%0.04%0.06%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census58127280xx0.66%1.37%3.14%Hispanic or Latino (any race)50521855105970.72%0.71%2.10%5.51%6.69%Total6,9527,2738,8099,2548,923 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,923. The median age was 43.5 years. 17.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 124.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 129.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 64.3% White, 27.3% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.1% from some other race, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.7% of the population.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,173 households in the county, of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 30.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,932 housing units, of which 19.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.3% were owner-occupied and 29.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.7%.

2000 Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 8809 people, 2,937 households, and 2,000 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 3,512 housing units at an average density of . 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:

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.

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

Communities

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."Ryland, Elizabeth Lowell. Richmond County, Virginia: A Review Commemorating the Bicentennial, p. 48 )(1976)

Politics

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

References

External links Menokin Bluegrass Festival