Smyth County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smyth County
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Smyth County Courthouse in Marion
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Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
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 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Virginia |
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| Founded | 1832 | ||
| Named for | Alexander Smyth | ||
| Seat | Marion | ||
| Largest town | Marion | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 452 sq mi (1,170 km2) | ||
| • Land | 451 sq mi (1,170 km2) | ||
| • Water | 1.4 sq mi (4 km2) 0.3% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 29,800 | ||
| • Density | 65.93/sq mi (25.46/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 9th | ||
Smyth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,800. Its county seat is Marion.
Contents
History
Smyth County was formed on February 23, 1832, from Washington and Wythe counties. The county is named after Alexander Smyth, a general during the War of 1812 who was elected to the state Senate, House of Delegates, and as a Representative to the United States Congress.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 452 square miles (1,170 km2), of which 451 square miles (1,170 km2) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) (0.3%) is water. Smyth County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, 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.
Adjacent counties
- Russell County – northwest
- Tazewell County – north
- Bland County – northeast
- Wythe County – east
- Grayson County – south
- Washington County – southwest
National protected areas
- Jefferson National Forest (part)
- Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (part)
Major highways
I-81
US 11
SR 16
SR 42
SR 91
SR 107
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 6,522 | — | |
| 1850 | 8,162 | 25.1% | |
| 1860 | 8,952 | 9.7% | |
| 1870 | 8,898 | −0.6% | |
| 1880 | 12,160 | 36.7% | |
| 1890 | 13,360 | 9.9% | |
| 1900 | 17,121 | 28.2% | |
| 1910 | 20,326 | 18.7% | |
| 1920 | 22,125 | 8.9% | |
| 1930 | 25,125 | 13.6% | |
| 1940 | 28,861 | 14.9% | |
| 1950 | 30,187 | 4.6% | |
| 1960 | 31,066 | 2.9% | |
| 1970 | 31,349 | 0.9% | |
| 1980 | 33,366 | 6.4% | |
| 1990 | 32,370 | −3.0% | |
| 2000 | 33,081 | 2.2% | |
| 2010 | 32,208 | −2.6% | |
| 2020 | 29,800 | −7.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 30,642 | 27,762 | 95.14% | 93.16% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 630 | 408 | 1.96% | 1.37% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 41 | 36 | 0.13% | 0.12% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 82 | 104 | 0.25% | 0.35% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 1 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 18 | 49 | 0.06% | 0.16% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 265 | 882 | 0.82% | 2.96% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 527 | 558 | 1.64% | 1.87% |
| Total | 32,208 | 29,800 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
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 can be of any race.
Tourism
The Smyth County Tourism Association was formed in April 2006 to promote sustainable tourism development and manages the operation of the state-certified H.L. Bonham Regional Development and Tourism Center. The organization markets the area through https://visitsmythcountyva.com/
Education
Public high schools
Communities
Towns
- Chilhowie
- Marion
- Saltville (partly in Washington County)
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Smyth para niños
