VI
Virgin Islands
Population 87,146
4 Sources
Updated September 10, 2026
87,146
Population
334,922,499 U.S.
$40,408
Median Income
$80,734 national
$4.7B
GDP (current $)
9.7%
Unemployment
District Map
Click a county to view its economic profile
Demographics & Population
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas (Demographic Profile)
Household Income
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · 2020 Census of Island Areas (Demographic Profile)
Median Household
$40,408
Per Capita
$26,897
Mean Household
$57,599
Poverty Rate
22.8%
Age & Race / Ethnicity
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile · 15-19 band apportioned
Cohorts
Under 18 · 19.6%
18-34 · 17.6%
35-54 · 25.9%
55-64 · 15.6%
65+ · 21.3%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnic category and overlaps with the race categories above.
Educational Attainment
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile · Population 25+
78.3%
High School+
National: 89.6%
11.3 pts
22.3%
Bachelor's+
National: 35.7%
13.4 pts
8.6%
Graduate+
National: 14.1%
5.5 pts
Employment Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · 2020 Census of Island Areas (Demographic Profile)
87,146
Population
39,416
Labor Force
Employed
35,610
Unemployment Rate
9.7%
Mean Commute 9 min below national avg
17.7 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
4.7%
Virgin Islands's median household income sits 50% below the national median. At 22.8%, its poverty rate runs 10.3 pts above the ~12.5% national level, relevant for federal funding eligibility narratives. Bachelor's-or-higher attainment of 22.3% trails the national average of 35.7%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Census of Island Areas (Demographic Profile). Island areas are not covered by the annual American Community Survey; figures are from the 2020 Census.
Key Takeaways
- Income gap: Households earn meaningfully less than the national median, affecting retail demand, housing absorption, and tax base statewide.
- Elevated poverty: At 22.8%, the rate supports federal funding narratives across distressed counties (CDFI, NMTC, EDA).
- Talent gap: Bachelor's-or-higher attainment trails the national average by 13.4 pts, relevant for advanced-services attraction strategy.
- Aging population: Median age of 46 is materially above the U.S. norm; succession planning and senior-services demand are real factors.
Economy & Industry
Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW · Bureau of Economic Analysis
$4.7B
Gross Domestic Product · 2022
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis · GDP for the U.S. Territories (nominal levels)
Key Takeaways
- Largest private-sector industry: Accommodation and Food Services employs 6,076 workers (29.7% of the tracked sectors), at an average wage of $39,056. Every industry figure on this page is private sector; government employs a further 10,589 and is counted separately.
- Economic scale: State GDP of $4.7B (2022).
- Wage stratification: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services averages $80,465 while Retail Trade averages $35,460, a 2.3x spread in the same economy, with implications for workforce development and talent strategy.
Source: BLS QCEW + BEA Regional GDP (CAGDP2).
Industry Concentration
Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.
Attraction Opportunities - Below-Average Industries
LQ < 0.5, below-average employment. Source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector
0.08x
Food Manufacturing
24 employed
0.14x
Management of Companies and Enterprises
66 employed
0.24x
Social Assistance
212 employed
0.27x
Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
167 employed
0.37x
Utilities
40 employed
0.42x
Textile Product Mills
7 employed
0.49x
Insurance Carriers and Related Activities
225 employed
Key Takeaways
- Top specialization: Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation concentrates at 40.23x the national norm, top-decile concentration, the kind of signature sector that defines a region's economic identity.
- Cluster depth: 17 sub-sectors register LQ ≥ 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base across the state.
- Attraction whitespace: 7 sub-sectors register LQ < 0.5, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Source: BLS QCEW sub-sector Location Quotients.
Housing & Affordability
2020 Census of Island Areas
Housing Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile (housing)
$290,558
Median Home Value
$926
Rent/Mo
47.8%
Owner-Occ
30.8%
Vacancy
7.2x
Home Value to Income Ratio - Stretched
vs. ~4.1x national average
Key Takeaways
- Stretched market: Home value to income ratio of 7.2x is well above the ~4.1x national average; attainable workforce housing may be a recruitment friction.
- Renter-majority market: 47.8% owner-occupied; flexible labor mobility but consider home-buying pipeline if attracting families.
- Elevated vacancy: 30.8% vacancy rate; potential redevelopment opportunity.
Source: 2020 Census of Island Areas Demographic Profile.
Workforce Pipeline
Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition
Labor Market Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile (employment)
51,517
Working Age (18-64)
Mean Commute 9 min below national avg
17.7 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
4.7%
Education & Talent Pipeline
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile · College Scorecard
Bachelor's+
22.3%
HS Diploma+
78.3%
1 Largest Institutions by Credentials Awarded
Degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded last academic year (College Scorecard).
269/yr
Aging Workforce
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile, derived from age & labor force
26.4%
55-64 of working-age population (18-64)
Same cohort is 15.6% of total population, the basis used in the Demographics cohort chart.
Elevated retirement risk, above the 20% threshold. Succession planning recommended.
Workforce by Occupation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Island Areas · Demographic Profile (occupation) · Civilian employed population 16+
Management / Professional
31%
Service
22.6%
Sales & Office
20.4%
Construction / Maint.
15.2%
Production / Transport
10.9%
Bars are drawn on a 0% to 40% axis, so bar length is proportional to actual share. Labels give each group's share of 35,610 employed workers.
Key Takeaways
- Succession risk is real: 26.4% of working-age residents are 55-64. Plan for retirements over the next decade and pair attraction strategy with talent retention.
- Low participation: only 56.3% of the population aged 18+ is in the labor force, suggesting untapped capacity; workforce development may unlock supply.
- Short commutes: 17.7-minute mean commute is a quality-of-life and labor-access advantage for site selectors.
Source: 2020 Census of Island Areas Demographic Profile.
District Profiles
3 districts in the U.S. Virgin Islands
AI Insights
Sample output. Pulse AI analysis draws on 4 federal data sources.
Sample AI Insight
Virgin Islands shows strong potential for scenic and sightseeing transportation attraction, with a 40.23x concentration and 216 jobs in this sub-sector. Near-term succession risk is elevated, with 26.4% of the working-age population within 10 years of retirement age.
Cluster depth across scenic and sightseeing transportation, water transportation, and accommodation creates supply-chain attraction leverage, a structural advantage for industrial recruitment.
Industry Shift Analysis
Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100
Prospect Match Scores
Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100
Illustrative example
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Data Sources
Updated from official federal government data.
2020 Census of Island Areas2020
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
Frequently Asked Questions
Key economic and demographic figures for Virgin Islands, from federal data sources.
What is the population of Virgin Islands?
87,146 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the median household income in Virgin Islands?
$40,408 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Virgin Islands?
9.7% (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the GDP of Virgin Islands?
$4.7B (BEA GDP for the U.S. Territories).
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