Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
31% of residents are 65 or older in Damascus, above both the Virginia town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). No town among the 254 in Virginia we compare has a lower median household income than Damascus. Damascus’ trail density is 2.4 miles per square mile, where Virginia’s towns sit at 0.7 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Damascus has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Damascus beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,299 in 1910, a peak of 1,726 in 1950, 788 in 2020. The archive holds 16 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 3 maps from 1935 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Damascus, 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 Damascus.
Damascus’ median rent is $730 a month. Typical home values rose 5.5% in the year to September 2026. 48% of Damascus households own their home.
| Damascus | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 48% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $730 a month | $1,762 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Damascus for work: only 3% work in town. 20% of residents live below the poverty line in Damascus. Jobs based in Damascus fell to 225 in 2023, 39 fewer than in 2013.
| Damascus | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The FEMA risk score in Damascus is 78 of 100. Since 1980, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Damascus.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Damascus has chilly winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 24° and about 12 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
16 crimes were reported in Damascus in 2025: 15 property and 1 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Damascus is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Damascus beats the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14.
| Damascus | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 34% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 19% |
| What stands out | Damascus | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81% | 76.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 11% | 6.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1.9 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Damascus Town Park | 0.5 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Damascus. Close and well known come first.
30 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
14 mi MountainMount Rogers
36 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain
15 mi State parkGrayson Highlands State Park33 mi Theme parkTweetsie Railroad
19 mi National forestCherokee National ForestBlue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Mount Rogers: USDA-FS, Public domain · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Grayson Highlands State Park: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Cherokee National Forest: Ryan Rice at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Damascus
About 3 of every 100 Damascus residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Where Damascus’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Virginia, United States
Damascus is a small town in Washington County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Damascus had a population of 788. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol (TN)–Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area (commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region). The town suffered flooding and devastation as a result of Hurricane Helene in 2024.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Damascus has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
