The Town FilesDante, Virginia
Community in Russell County · population 572 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $81,400
- Household income
- $33,696
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 53.9
Dante is a community of 572 people in Russell County, Virginia. The median home is worth $81,400, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks quieter than 96% of Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Virginia towns.
How Dante ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dante is worth $81,400, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $33,696, which is more affordable than 92% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,328 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dante | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $81,400 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,328 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $33,696 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dante
| People | Dante | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.9 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.8% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 10.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.7% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 38.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 1.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 91.8% |
Weather in Dante
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 24.4°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.3 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Dante since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 3, 2012.
Severe weather in Russell County since 1996
Russell County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 4, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4863: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| October 1, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4831: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 29, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3621: Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Russell County
Russell County had 6,150 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,286 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Dante itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Dante
- St. Paul, VA5.7 mi · 866 people · home $176,100
- Castlewood, VA7.3 mi · 1,704 people · home $157,300
- Coeburn, VA10.7 mi · 1,598 people · home $112,600
- Riverview, VA11.7 mi · 616 people · home $38,500
- Lebanon, VA12.8 mi · 3,159 people · home $162,400
- Clintwood, VA15.2 mi · 1,377 people · home $162,800
- Wise, VA16.4 mi · 2,971 people · home $144,700
- Honaker, VA17.5 mi · 1,217 people · home $91,600
Dante questions
Is Dante, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dante scores better for retirees than 69% of Virginia towns and quieter than 96%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.9).
How much does a house cost in Dante?
The median owner-occupied home in Dante is valued at $81,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $33,696, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,328 a month.
What is the weather like in Dante?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 24.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 38.3 inches of snow.
Does Dante get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Dante in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)