Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
985 people live in this town, settled in 1895.
Atkins’ mean commuting time is 14 minutes, below both Virginia’s towns (27 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Among 254 Virginia towns, just 3 have a lower peak summer temperature than Atkins. Old Stone Tavern is on the National Register of Historic Places. Atkins has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Atkins beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,352 in 1980, 1,138 in 2000. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 4 maps from 1935 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Atkins is unincorporated, so Smyth County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Atkins.
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 5.2% in value. 77% of Atkins households live in a home they own.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Public schools: the Smyth County Public Schools. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Atkins’s public school: 168 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atkins ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 168 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Only 14% of working residents stay in Atkins for work; the rest commute out. The middle household income here is $49,000. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Atkins dropped by 574, to 1,875. The top destinations are Marion (22%), Wytheville (6%) and Chilhowie (5%).
| Atkins | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Atkins’ natural-hazard score from FEMA is 20 of 100. Federal aid has come to Atkins households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. 45% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 37%.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Summer afternoons peak near 81° in July, and January nights bottom out around 23°; snowfall runs to about 18 inches a winter. Winters in Atkins are chilly and summers pleasant.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
14% of adults binge drink in Atkins. Only 8 of the 254 Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Atkins. Two figures for adults locally: 19% smoke cigarettes, 25% say their health is fair or poor.
| Atkins | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 17% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | Atkins | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11.1% | 6.2% |
| More smokers | 18.9% | 12.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.1% | 11.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The concentration of trails for Atkins comes to 0.8 miles per square mile. 5.1 miles of trail.
| Atkins | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.1% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Atkins; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Atkins residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Where Atkins’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
CDP in Virginia, United States
Atkins is a census-designated place (CDP) in Smyth County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Atkins had a population of 1,121.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Atkins has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.