2008 · ChilhowieBaptistChurchChilhowieVA · Wikimedia Commons
Chilhowie’s story
Chilhowie in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 4 places on the National Register.
ChilhowieVA
A town of 2,428. A regional job hub with 1,234 jobs.
Photo: James Shelton32 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,428
−7.1% since 2010
Typical home
$196K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
1,234
A job hub
What makes Chilhowie stand out
The 3 things Chilhowie does most differently from other towns.
1,234jobs here
Work
1,234 jobs
based in Chilhowie, a regional job hub
9% of working residents work in town.
$196Ktypical home
Housing
$196K typical home
53% below the VA typical home
Up 4.4% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Chilhowie
Health
75% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than VA on 1 measures, worse on 13.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,178 people come to Chilhowie for work
Where Chilhowie’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,234jobs based in Chilhowie
9%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Chilhowie’s report card
Commute15 miHalf of commuters travel lessHousing$196K53% below the VA typical homeHealthCHealthier than 25% of U.S. townsSafetyCLess crime than 33% of U.S. townsClimate84°/24°Summer high · winter low · 10″ snowOutdoors2 miof trails · 10.4% conservedHazards40/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damageSchoolsB−Beats 45% of VA districts
Now in Chilhowie
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Residents weigh in
Live in Chilhowie? Is a C for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Chilhowie’s Town Square.
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Weather
Forecast →72°
Clear
H 0° · L 57°
Local news
All →- Patrick Henry Girls JV Volleyball @ Chilhowiemaxpreps.com · Sep 30
- Pike Central band wins Grand Championship for second week in a rowMountain Top Media · Sep 28
- Patrick Henry vs Chilhowie - Girls Varsity Volleyball 10/22/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 27
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chilhowie. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Chilhowie
Most working residents leave Chilhowie for work: only 9% work in town. The top destinations are Marion (19%), Abingdon (8%) and Atkins (4%). Half commute less than 15 miles.
9%work in town
Where working residents work
In Chilhowie9%
Marion19%
Abingdon8%
Atkins4%
Wytheville3%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,234
jobs based in Chilhowie
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Chilhowie home is worth about $196K
The typical Chilhowie home is worth about $196,000, up 4.4% in a year, 53% below the Virginia typical home.
$196KZillow home value
Typical home value
Chilhowie$196K
Virginia$415K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 25% of U.S. towns
Chilhowie beats the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13.
CHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Virginia
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Chilhowie | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 76.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.1% | 6.2% |
Smyth County Community Hospital
11.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
22nd
percentile among VA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 33% of U.S. towns
Chilhowie reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 67% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Chilhowie2.5
Virginia2.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Chilhowie16.9
Virginia13.9
U.S.15.5
33rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
41st
percentile among VA towns
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
27
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Chilhowie has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–47°
Spring40–66°
Summer59–83°
Fall42–68°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Outdoors
10.4% of Chilhowie is conserved land
2.4 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves.
10.4%conserved
10.4%
conserved · 171 of 1,637 acres
2.4 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 40% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
22
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Chilhowie’s public schools outperform 45% of Virginia districts
The public schools Chilhowie’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 55% of Virginia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chilhowie Middle | 6–8 | 273 | B |
| Chilhowie High | 9–12 | 384 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Landmarks
4 places in Chilhowie on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Chilhowie
4 notable people were born in Chilhowie.
About Chilhowie
Town in Virginia, United States
Chilhowie is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States, on the Middle Fork of the Holston River. As of the 2020 census, Chilhowie had a population of 1,654. The name Chilhowie is said to come from a Cherokee word meaning "valley of many deer". It is also notable for having only one traffic light in the entire city. I-81 runs through Chilhowie. It is located at exit 35.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,654
- Area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,952 ft
- ZIP code
- 24319
- Area code
- 276
More about Chilhowie
Still missing for Chilhowie:upcoming events