Emory and Henry College · National Register of Historic Places
Emory’s story
179 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1847Emory is settled
EmoryVA
A town of 1,419, settled in 1847.
1 bordering townMap →
Crabtree-Blackwell Farm · Photo: Rutke421 00:32, 25 April 2011 (UTC) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,419
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$231K
Census ACS
Household income
$112K
median
Median age
21.1
years
Jobs based here
460
Balanced
Is Emory a good place to live?
The best of Emory’s subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for health and incomes. Emory’s median age is 21.1 years, below both the Virginia town median (38.5 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). On hazard risk, just 4 of Virginia’s 372 towns do better. Emory is more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns. Emory’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both the Virginia town median (0.7) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Emory is home to Emory & Henry University. Emory has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Emory stand out
Where Emory beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA+
Lower risk than 98% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Washington County Public Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Henry High | 9–12 | 390 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
32 measures vs. Virginia
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
| Widest gap | Emory | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 6.4% | 12.5% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Beats VA on 10 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 8
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
College town
50% of Emory is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Emory grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Emory is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listA+Open →SchoolsAOpen →HealthJohnston Memorial Hospital 11.1 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$112K median household incomeA−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $231K, 4 years of the Kingsport metro’s $58K median household incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 3.7% of households have no car; 30.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Emory: who provides what
Emory is unincorporated, so Washington County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAppalachian Power17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWashington County Service AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWashington CountyWashington 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 hereWashington General RegistrarWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2020
ZIP codes24327, 24340, 2436124327 55% · 24340 24% · 24361 21%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 Emory.
SchoolsA
Emory’s public schools outperform 86% of Virginia districts
Its public schools are run by the Washington County Public Schools. Its one school is below. The largest public high school is Patrick Henry High, with 390 students.
86%of VA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Henry HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 390 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
The FEMA risk score in Emory is lower than in most of Virginia or the rest of the country
Emory’s FEMA risk score is 2 of 100.
2risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesStrong wind
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
A smaller share of adults in Emory have high blood pressure than in the typical Virginia or U.S. town
22% of adults have high blood pressure in Emory. Among 254 Virginia towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Emory. 6.4% of adults have diabetes in Emory.
81%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Emory | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 33% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 34% | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 6.4% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Emory | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 6.4% | 12.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 1.9% | 3.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.6% | 11.1% |
Johnston Memorial Hospital
11.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Emory has four seasons and pleasant summers
Emory has chilly winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Emory is 84°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–47°
Spring41–66°
Summer59–83°
Fall42–68°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Emory draws in 444 commuters
Most working residents leave Emory for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, Emory has added 438 jobs, to 460 in 2023. 3.4% of Emory residents live below the poverty line.
4%work in town
| Emory | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 4.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Emory4%
Abingdon21%
Marion7%
Bristol7%
Bristol3%
16 mi
median commute distance
460
jobs based in Emory
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC−
Emory has set aside 1.1% of its land for conservation
5.7 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
1.1%conserved
1.1%
conserved · 29 of 2,609 acres
5.7 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade A−
A home in Emory sells for about $435K at the median
$435Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in March
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Emory
17pages on Emory
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Emory
Emory & Henry UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · EmoryIn town$39,000 tuitionVirginia Highlands Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Abingdon11.1 mi$5,022 in-state tuition
College town 50 of every 100 Emory residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Small town
1,419 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
MeadowviewEmory
Questions about Emory
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Emory, VA expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $231,000, 44% 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−.