Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Population 66: a town settled in 1896.
21% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Sussex, where Virginia’s towns sit at 44% and U.S. towns at 29%. Only 3 of the 254 Virginia towns we compare have a higher July high than Sussex. 16% of the land in Sussex is conserved, above both the Virginia town median (4.7%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Sussex County Courthouse Historic District and Little Town is on the National Register of Historic Places. Sussex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Sussex beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 4 maps from 1919 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sussex is unincorporated, so Sussex 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Sussex.
Only 9% of working residents stay in Sussex for work; the rest commute out. Jobs based in Sussex grew to 423 in 2023, 415 more than in 2013. Half the trips to work are shorter than 32 miles. The top destinations are Richmond (8%), Hopewell (6%) and Petersburg (5%).
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Two of the 3 schools are below, and why each made the list. Public schools: the Sussex County Public Schools. The largest public high school is Sussex Central High, with 331 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex Central ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 478 | D |
| Sussex Central HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 331 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
FEMA puts 34% of Sussex’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 28% to drought. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 84% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Sussex’s density of trails is 1.5 miles per square mile. 6.9 miles of trail.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The town does better than the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 20. 18% of adults smoke cigarettes in Sussex. Also worth knowing: only 9 of the 254 Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Sussex.
| Sussex | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 33% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 34% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 36% | 36% |
| What stands out | Sussex | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.4% | 76.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 20.6% | 13.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Sussex; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Sussex residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
Where Sussex’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Sussex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.