249 years in pictures
The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1853 and 4 maps from 1943 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1777Powhatan is established
Each edition grades its towns against each other only.

A town established in 1777, now home to 667 people.
Powhatan’s median age is 57.9 years, above both Virginia’s towns (38.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Powhatan has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Wigwam and Powhatan Courthouse Historic District. Powhatan has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Powhatan beats most towns.
The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1853 and 4 maps from 1943 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 places in Powhatan on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ordered by what stands out in Powhatan.
Just 6% of Powhatan’s working residents have a job in town. The town’s average trip to work works out to 33 minutes. Also worth knowing: jobs based in the town fell to 668 in 2023, 394 fewer than in 2013. Among residents here, 3.4% live below the poverty line.
| Powhatan | Typical Virginia town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Public schools: the Powhatan County Public Schools. Of its 3 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason. 2 public schools serve Powhatan, with 1,427 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powhatan MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 950 | C+ |
| Powhatan ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 477 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
The FEMA hazard score here in Powhatan is 20 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 54% come from inland flooding and 19% from earthquakes. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Powhatan once, in 2003.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Trails total 3.1 miles in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Fighting Creek Park, at 43 acres. Powhatan’s trail density is put at 1.5 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fighting Creek Park | 0.6 mi | 43 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
In Powhatan, the midsummer high is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 66%. In Powhatan, the median rent is $1,086 a month.
| Powhatan | Typical Virginia town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,086 a month | $1,762 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Powhatan, just over a fifth of adults get no exercise outside work. Among 254 Virginia towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Powhatan. The town does better than the Virginia average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 6.
| Powhatan | Typical Virginia town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 36% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 33% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 79% | 79% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 34% | 33% |
| What stands out | Powhatan | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.1% | 13.1% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6% | 10.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.8% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Powhatan is unincorporated, so Powhatan 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.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
None within 15 miles of Powhatan; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Powhatan residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
3 notable people were born in Powhatan.
Census-designated place in Virginia, United States
Powhatan is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Powhatan County, Virginia, United States. It was initially known as Scottville (after Revolutionary war hero General Charles Scott), and has historically also been known as Powhatan Court House and Powhatan Courthouse, named after Chief Powhatan, father of Matoaka (Pocahontas). The community had a population of 402 at the 2020 census. The first official court of Powhatan was held at Mosby Tavern, the home of Benjamin Mosby and his son, Littleberry Mosby. Powhatan was established as a community in May 1777, but there were several buildings already in existence at that time. One of these locations is the Powhatan Plantation which…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Powhatan has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Powhatan was established in 1777 and has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places. 3 notable people were born here, including Tom Miller and Demetrius Venable.
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