The Town FilesPennington Gap, Virginia
Town in Lee County · population 1,624 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $92,900
- Household income
- $21,633
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 34.3
Pennington Gap is a town of 1,624 people in Lee County, Virginia. The median home is worth $92,900, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks hipper than 82% of Virginia towns, easier by car than 76% of Virginia towns.
How Pennington Gap 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 Pennington Gap is worth $92,900, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $21,633, which is more affordable than 30% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $766 a month. 43.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pennington Gap | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $92,900 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $766 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $21,633 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 43.4% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Pennington Gap
| People | Pennington Gap | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 32.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 56.8% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 91.8% |
Weather in Pennington Gap
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 23.2°F. About 49.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pennington Gap since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 16, 2023 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on April 23, 1968.
Severe weather in Lee County since 1996
Lee County has been included in 20 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 |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lee County
Lee County had 4,190 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,126 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Pennington Gap itself the ACS puts it at 22.4%.
Public schools in Pennington Gap
3 public schools with 595 students, about 9.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Knob Elementary | PK-4 | 308 | 14.0 |
| Pennington Middle | 5-7 | 287 | 9.9 |
| Lee County Career & Tech. Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Pennington Gap
- Dryden, VA5.2 mi · 986 people · home $130,300
- Jonesville, VA6.6 mi · 872 people · home $115,400
- Cawood, KY11.2 mi · 630 people · home $69,800
- Evarts, KY11.4 mi · 859 people · home $71,400
- Benham, KY15.0 mi · 512 people · home $53,000
- Lynch, KY15.8 mi · 658 people · home $58,600
- Cumberland, KY16.0 mi · 1,947 people · home $66,500
- Big Stone Gap, VA16.1 mi · 5,254 people · home $163,000
Pennington Gap questions
Is Pennington Gap, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pennington Gap scores better for retirees than 18% of Virginia towns and quieter than 54%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.3).
How much does a house cost in Pennington Gap?
The median owner-occupied home in Pennington Gap is valued at $92,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $21,633, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $766 a month.
What is the weather like in Pennington Gap?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 23.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.7 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Pennington Gap get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pennington Gap since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 16, 2023. 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)