The Town FilesHampden-Sydney, Virginia
Community in Prince Edward County · population 1,191 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $154,565
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 20.5
Hampden-Sydney is a community of 1,191 people in Prince Edward County, Virginia. It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Virginia towns, better for retirees than 92% of Virginia towns, better for young professionals than 82% of Virginia towns.
How Hampden-Sydney 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
94.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hampden-Sydney | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $298,050 |
| Median rent | — | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $154,565 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.4% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 26.3% | — |
Who lives in Hampden-Sydney
| People | Hampden-Sydney | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.5 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.5% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 3.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 23.8% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 91.8% |
Weather in Hampden-Sydney
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.1 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hampden-Sydney since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 10, 1960 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 13, 1998.
Severe weather in Prince Edward County since 1996
Prince Edward County has been included in 22 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 |
| March 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| May 10, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4602: Severe Winter Storms |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County had 8,733 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,770 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Hampden-Sydney itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Towns near Hampden-Sydney
- Farmville, VA5.5 mi · 7,473 people · home $238,900
- Keysville, VA14.2 mi · 807 people · home $161,100
- Charlotte Court House, VA15.7 mi · 505 people · home $167,200
- Drakes Branch, VA18.6 mi · 533 people · home $111,000
- Crewe, VA19.5 mi · 2,262 people · home $139,400
- Appomattox, VA20.8 mi · 1,919 people · home $162,300
- Victoria, VA22.1 mi · 1,734 people · home $131,800
- Kenbridge, VA27.4 mi · 1,112 people · home $154,400
Hampden-Sydney questions
Is Hampden-Sydney, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hampden-Sydney scores better for retirees than 92% of Virginia towns and quieter than 52%. 5.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 20.5).
What is the weather like in Hampden-Sydney?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.5 inches of precipitation a year and 6.1 inches of snow.
Does Hampden-Sydney get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hampden-Sydney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 10, 1960. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- 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)