Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Today 1,357 people live in this town, first settled in 1892.
Castlewood’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D for walkability. Castlewood’s midpoint age is 61.1 years, where Virginia’s towns sit at 38.5 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. On walkability, just 16 of Virginia’s 372 towns do worse. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 87% of the country. Castlewood’s trail network density is 1.4 miles per square mile, where Virginia’s towns sit at 0.7 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Old Russell County Courthouse and Castlerun Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Castlewood has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
2,045 counted in 2010 and 1,704 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Castlewood is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2016 and 6 maps from 1920 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Castlewood is unincorporated, so Russell 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 Castlewood.
For adults in Castlewood, the share who have obesity is 39%. Only 10 of the 254 Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Castlewood. Two figures for adults locally: 44% have high blood pressure, 16% have diabetes. Against the Virginia average, Castlewood comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 14.
| Castlewood | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Castlewood | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.3% | 76.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 6.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its two schools are below. Public schools: the Russell County Public Schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castlewood ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–7 | Grades PK–7 | 354 | C+ |
| Castlewood HighLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 285 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
Half commute less than 20 miles. The middle household income for Castlewood comes to $61,000. Commuting out is the norm in the town: 3% of working residents work locally. Employers in Castlewood added 29 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 271.
| Castlewood | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 4.9% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 25° and about 12 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
FEMA puts 54% of Castlewood’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 31% to cold waves. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in just over half of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Castlewood households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
85% of Castlewood households live in a home they own.
| Castlewood | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $684 a month | $1,762 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 85% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Castlewood; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Castlewood residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
CDP in Virginia, United States
Castlewood is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Russell County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Castlewood had a population of 1,704. Castlewood was an incorporated town from 1991 to 1997, when it reverted to unincorporated status.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $157,000, 62% below the Virginia typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.