Little Wolf Creek footbridge on the Appalachian Trail near Bastian, Virginia, 1980
Bastian’s story
111 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
- 1915Bastian is settled
BastianVA
A town of 374, settled in 1915.
Photo: Skye Marthaler · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
374
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$173K
+8.3% in a year
Household income
$42K
median
Median age
68.5
years
Jobs based here
400
A job hub
Is Bastian a good place to live?
Bastian has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Bastian stand out
Where Bastian beats most towns.
Small town
374 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Bastian: who provides what
Bastian is unincorporated, so Bland County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAppalachian Power17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRocky Gap/Bastian Regional water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesBland CountyBland County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Virginia you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBland General RegistrarBland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code2431424314 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bastian.
Work & commute
Bastian has 2.7 jobs for every working resident, and 391 people commute in
Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Bastian rose by 376, to 400. Most people who work leave Bastian to do it: just 6% work in town. The top destinations are Wytheville (19%), Bland (7%) and Princeton (5%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 15 miles.
6%work in town
Where working residents work
In Bastian6%
Wytheville19%
Bland7%
Princeton5%
Tazewell4%
15 mi
median commute distance
400
jobs based in Bastian
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A home in Bastian is worth about $173K, on Zillow’s estimate
Home values are up 8.3% over the year to September 2026. 71% of Bastian households are owner-occupiers.
$173KZillow home value
Typical home value
Bastian$173K
Virginia$412K
+8.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Bastian stands out in Virginia and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is higher
Expected losses in Bastian break down as 63% from inland flooding and 29% from cold waves. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Bastian after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Bastian is cooler than in most of Virginia or the rest of the country
Expect chilly winters and pleasant summers in Bastian. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 23° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–44°
Spring39–63°
Summer57–80°
Fall41–64°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Bastian is
21% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Bastian. Among adults in the town, 16% report frequent physical distress and 40% have high blood pressure.
| Bastian | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
0 better23 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Bastian | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.3% | 6.2% |
| More smokers | 17.9% | 12.2% |
| More adults with arthritis | 34.3% | 26.2% |
Wythe County Community Hospital
14.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bastian
15pages on Bastian
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Bastian
Bluefield UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bluefield8.1 mi$26,770 tuitionBluefield State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bluefield, WV9.1 mi$10,648 in-state tuitionWytheville Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wytheville14.3 mi$5,007 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Bastian residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
A job hub
Every workday, about 391 people come to Bastian for work
Where Bastian’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
400jobs based in Bastian
6%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bastian
Unincorporated community in Virginia, United States
Bastian is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Bland County, Virginia, United States. Bastian is 4 miles (6 km) north-northwest of Bland. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 343. Bastian has a post office with ZIP code 24314.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,182 ft
- ZIP code
- 24314
Questions about Bastian
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bastian, VA a good place to live?
Bastian has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.