Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Colonial Beach earns a D, 232nd of 249 graded towns in Virginia, mostly because of health and schools. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 93% of the country. Its schools rank behind 80% of the state's. What it does well: it is more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. Colonial Beach’s average trip to work is 40 minutes, above both the Virginia town median (27 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Colonial Beach has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Blenheim.
Where Colonial Beach beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
3,542 counted in 2010 and 3,908 in 2020; an estimated 4,151 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 6.4% since 2020, after 10.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Colonial Beach is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 453 in 1900, 3,908 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1909 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Colonial Beach, and how to reach them.
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 Colonial Beach.
Colonial Beach is a second-home town, but it has little public open land and has a long record of flood insurance claims.
19% of adults have diabetes in Colonial Beach. Colonial Beach beats the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 45% of adults have high blood pressure in Colonial Beach.
| Colonial Beach | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 33% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 17% | 19% |
| What stands out | Colonial Beach | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 76.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.5% | 6.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Colonial Beach Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial Beach ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–7 | Grades PK–7 | 367 | C |
| Colonial Beach HighLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 226 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
The average commute for its 1,616 working residents takes 40.1 minutes, against 27.3 across Virginia.
Most working residents leave Colonial Beach for work: only 10% work in town. 24% of Colonial Beach residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Colonial Beach grew to 677 in 2023, 136 more than in 2013.
| Colonial Beach | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 4.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Colonial Beach home is worth about $326,000, about the same as a year ago, 21% below the Virginia typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Colonial Beach has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Colonial Beach is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Within Virginia, it does better than 69% of towns.
| Colonial Beach | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.3 per 1,000 residents | 14.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
73 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 16 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 73 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Colonial Beach.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Just 15 of its 1,773 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Colonial Beach itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.1 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Town Hill | — | 4 |
| 2. Eleanor Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
| 3. Torrey Smith Recreation Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Colonial Beach; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Colonial Beach residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Where Colonial Beach’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Virginia, United States
Colonial Beach, Virginia (CBVA) is a river and beach town located in the northwestern part of Westmoreland County on Virginia's Northern Neck peninsula. It is bounded by the Potomac River, Monroe Bay and Monroe Creek. It is located 65 mi (105 km) from Washington, D.C.; 70 mi (110 km) from the state capital of Richmond; and 35 nautical miles from the Chesapeake Bay. As of the 2020 census, Colonial Beach had a population of 3,908. Colonial Beach was named Best Virginia Beach for 2018 by USA Today. In 2019, Colonial Beach was named The Nicest Place in Virginia and a finalist for Nicest Places in America by Reader's Digest. Colonial Beach was a popular resort town in the early to mid-20th centu…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Colonial Beach grades D overall, better than 9% of U.S. towns and #232 of 249 in Virginia. It grades D for health, B− for safety and C− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Virginia, it does better than 69% of towns.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
2 notable people were born here, including Torrey Smith and Ed Mirvish.
