Craig County, Virginia

County in Virginia, United States

County in Virginia

Craig County

County

Craig County Courthouse in New Castle

Seal

Logo

Location within the U.S. state of Virginia

Virginia's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 37°29′N 80°13′W﻿ / ﻿37.49°N 80.22°W﻿ / 37.49; -80.22
Country|  United States
State|  Virginia
Founded| 1851
Named after| Robert Craig
Seat| New Castle
Largest town| New Castle
Area

• Total

| 331 sq mi (860 km2)
• Land| 330 sq mi (900 km2)
• Water| 1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.3%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 4,892
• Density| 15/sq mi (5.7/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 9th
Website| www.craigcountyva.gov

Craig County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,892.[1] Its county seat is New Castle.[2]

Craig County is part of the Roanoke metropolitan area.

## History

[edit]

Nestled in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, Craig County was named for Robert Craig, a 19th-century Virginia congressman.[3] The initial outpost in the area was called "Craig's Camp," and it is claimed that George Washington visited it in 1756 during his travels to the frontier.[4] Formed from parts of Botetourt, Roanoke, Giles, and Monroe (in present-day West Virginia) counties in 1851, Craig was later enlarged with several subsequent additions from neighboring counties.[5]

The secluded, mountainous town of New Castle, the county seat, has one of the commonwealth's antebellum court complexes, including a porticoed courthouse built in 1852.[6] Craig Healing Springs, a collection of well-preserved early-20th-century resort buildings representative of the architecture of Virginia's more modest mountain spas, is located here.[7][8]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 330.6 square miles (856.3 km2), of which 329.5 square miles (853.4 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.[9] More than 112,000 acres of the county is national forest[10] . Craig County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,[11] and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.[12]

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Alleghany County – north
* Botetourt County – east
* Roanoke County – southeast
* Montgomery County – south
* Giles County – southwest
* Monroe County, West Virginia – west

### National protected area

[edit]

* Jefferson National Forest (part)

### Major highways

[edit]

* SR 18
* SR 42
* SR 311

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1860| 3,553| | —
1870| 2,942| | −17.2%
1880| 3,794| | 29.0%
1890| 3,835| | 1.1%
1900| 4,293| | 11.9%
1910| 4,711| | 9.7%
1920| 4,100| | −13.0%
1930| 3,562| | −13.1%
1940| 3,769| | 5.8%
1950| 3,452| | −8.4%
1960| 3,356| | −2.8%
1970| 3,524| | 5.0%
1980| 3,948| | 12.0%
1990| 4,372| | 10.7%
2000| 5,091| | 16.4%
2010| 5,190| | 1.9%
2020| 4,892| | −5.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790–1960[14] 1900–1990[15]
1990–2000[16] 2010[17] 2020[18]

### 2020 census

[edit]

Craig County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 5,103  | 4,631  | 98.32%  | 94.66%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 5  | 11  | 0.10%  | 0.22%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 6  | 5  | 0.12%  | 0.10%
Asian alone (NH)  | 8  | 11  | 0.15%  | 0.22%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 0  | 3  | 0.00%  | 0.06%
Some Other Race alone (NH)  | 1  | 12  | 0.02%  | 0.25%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)  | 31  | 166  | 0.60%  | 3.39%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 36  | 53  | 0.69%  | 1.08%
Total | 5,190 | 4,892 | 100.00% | 100.00%

### 2000 Census

[edit]

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 5,091 people, 2,060 households, and 1,507 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km2). There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.94% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. 0.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,060 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 23.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.60% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 103.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,314, and the median income for a family was $41,750. Males had a median income of $26,713 versus $21,337 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,322. About 6.60% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

## Government

[edit]

### Board of Supervisors

[edit]

* Craig City District: Rusty Zimmerman (Vice Chair)
* Craig Creek District: Lindsey Dunne
* New Castle District: Jesse Spence (chair)
* Potts Mountain District: Carl Bailey
* Simmonsville District: Kathi Toelke[20]

### Constitutional officers

[edit]

* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Sharon P. Oliver (I)
* Commissioner of the Revenue: Elizabeth Huffman (I)
* Commonwealth's Attorney: Matthew Dunne (R)
* Sheriff: Trevor Craddock (R)
* Treasurer: Jackie Parsons (I)[21]

Craig County is represented by Republican Stephen D. "Steve" Newman in the Virginia Senate, Republican Joe McNamara in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican H. Morgan Griffith in the U.S. House of Representatives.

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Craig County, Virginia[22] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 2,562  | 81.72% | 542  | 17.29%  | 31  | 0.99%
2020 | 2,536  | 80.03% | 587  | 18.52%  | 46  | 1.45%
2016 | 2,140  | 76.68% | 541  | 19.38%  | 110  | 3.94%
2012 | 1,757  | 65.88% | 830  | 31.12%  | 80  | 3.00%
2008 | 1,695  | 64.67% | 877  | 33.46%  | 49  | 1.87%
2004 | 1,706  | 65.09% | 901  | 34.38%  | 14  | 0.53%
2000 | 1,580  | 63.38% | 851  | 34.14%  | 62  | 2.49%
1996 | 979  | 45.35% | 895  | 41.45%  | 285  | 13.20%
1992 | 1,008  | 43.88% | 965  | 42.01%  | 324  | 14.11%
1988 | 1,112  | 55.46% | 864  | 43.09%  | 29  | 1.45%
1984 | 1,173  | 57.70% | 845  | 41.56%  | 15  | 0.74%
1980 | 768  | 43.17%  | 946  | 53.18% | 65  | 3.65%
1976 | 546  | 32.75%  | 1,103  | 66.17% | 18  | 1.08%
1972 | 774  | 63.44% | 425  | 34.84%  | 21  | 1.72%
1968 | 581  | 46.18% | 419  | 33.31%  | 258  | 20.51%
1964 | 477  | 38.34%  | 767  | 61.66% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 433  | 44.78%  | 534  | 55.22% | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 485  | 48.84%  | 501  | 50.45% | 7  | 0.70%
1952 | 425  | 46.45%  | 490  | 53.55% | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 317  | 39.82%  | 456  | 57.29% | 23  | 2.89%
1944 | 327  | 36.66%  | 564  | 63.23% | 1  | 0.11%
1940 | 299  | 31.24%  | 656  | 68.55% | 2  | 0.21%
1936 | 395  | 37.65%  | 653  | 62.25% | 1  | 0.10%
1932 | 302  | 31.26%  | 649  | 67.18% | 15  | 1.55%
1928 | 451  | 47.98%  | 489  | 52.02% | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 300  | 36.01%  | 512  | 61.46% | 21  | 2.52%
1920 | 315  | 45.06%  | 381  | 54.51% | 3  | 0.43%
1916 | 200  | 35.03%  | 369  | 64.62% | 2  | 0.35%
1912 | 62  | 11.19%  | 337  | 60.83% | 155  | 27.98%

## Communities

[edit]

### Town

[edit]

* New Castle

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Abbott
* Maggie
* Paint Bank
* Simmonsville

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Craig County, Virginia

## References

[edit]

Places adjacent to Craig County, Virginia

|  | Alleghany County |

|
|

|  |
Monroe County, West Virginia |

Craig County, Virginia

| Botetourt County
|  |
Giles County | Montgomery County | Roanoke County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Craig County, Virginia, United States

County seat: New Castle

Town|

* New Castle

Map of Virginia highlighting Craig County

Unincorporated
communities|

* Abbott
* Captain
* Huffman
* Maggie
* Marshalltown
* Paint Bank
* Simmonsville

* Virginia portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Commonwealth of Virginia

Richmond (capital)

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Virginia portal

37°29′N 80°13′W﻿ / ﻿37.49°N 80.22°W﻿ / 37.49; -80.22

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Other|

* NARA
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1. ^ "Craig County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "Craig County Virginia". Iberian Publishing Company's On-Line Catalog. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
4. ^ "History of Craig County | Craig County, VA". Retrieved April 5, 2021.
5. ^ "History of Craig County". Craig County. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
6. ^ "Craig County Courthouse". Virginia Mountains. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
7. ^ "Craig Healing Springs" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
8. ^ "Craig Healing Springs". Historic Registers. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
10. ^ "Visitors | Craig County, VA". Retrieved May 5, 2025.
11. ^ "About the Appalachian Region". Appalachian Regional Commission. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
12. ^ Woodard, Colin. "The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line". New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
13. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
16. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
17. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race –2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Craig County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
18. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Craig County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
20. ^ "Board of Supervisors". Community and Government Portal. Craig County. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
21. ^ "Elected Officials". Community and Government Portal. Craig County. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.

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