Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Among 254 Virginia towns, just 6 have a higher median age than Drakes Branch. Drakes Branch’s trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile, against 0.7 in Virginia’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Drakes Branch has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Drakes Branch beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 87 in 1880, a peak of 759 in 1960, 533 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Drakes Branch, 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 Drakes Branch.
The typical Drakes Branch home is worth about $185,000, up 6.9% in a year, 55% below the Virginia typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 84% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Drakes Branch since 1979.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Drakes Branch for work: only 1% work in town. 15% of Drakes Branch residents live below the poverty line, where Virginia’s towns sit at 7.7% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The average trip to work in Drakes Branch is 29 minutes.
| Drakes Branch | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Drakes Branch has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 27° and about 8 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
30% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Drakes Branch. Among 254 Virginia towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Drakes Branch. 19% of adults report frequent mental distress in Drakes Branch.
| Drakes Branch | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 17% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 33% | 35% |
| What stands out | Drakes Branch | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.9% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.5% | 76.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.5% | 11.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Drakes Branch; the nearest are
About 13 of every 100 Drakes Branch residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Where Drakes Branch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Virginia, United States
Drakes Branch is a town in Charlotte County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Drakes Branch had a population of 533.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Drakes Branch has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including John McCargo and Joe Lewis.