Emporia city, VA
Housing, jobs, water, deposits and federal obligations for this county, each figure with the release it came from. Internal point 36.70, -77.54.
Assembled 2026-10-06. Read the brief.
- 18th pct · 2,499th of 3,063 US counties · median $234,566
- 10th pct · 119th of 133 Virginia counties · median $307,999
- 80th pct · 594th of 3,063 US counties · median +2.9%
- 86th pct · 19th of 133 Virginia counties · median +2.9%
- US counties: not published this period
- Virginia counties: not published this period
- 23rd pct · 2,468th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 12th pct · 117th of 133 Virginia counties · median 9,944
- 3rd pct · 3,117th of 3,221 US counties · median $1,039
- 0th pct · 133rd of 133 Virginia counties · median $1,048
- 46th pct · 1,642nd of 3,063 US counties · median 4.3
- 29th pct · 94th of 133 Virginia counties · median 5.4
Typical home value divided by the average annual wage of one covered job.
A percentile here is a min-max scaling of average rank: the smallest published value in the cohort is 0 and the largest is 100, and tied values share the average of the ranks they span. It is not the share of entities below the value, so 0 means smallest, not none below. Entities that did not publish the metric are outside the cohort entirely and are counted in neither the rank nor its denominator.
Home values #
Typical home $156,820 (Aug 2026), +6.1% over one year, +56.5% over five
- 18th pct · 2,499th of 3,063 US counties · median $234,566
- 10th pct · 119th of 133 Virginia counties · median $307,999
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Emporia city, VA | $156,820 · +6.1% 1-yr |
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of homes in the 35th to 65th percentile, smoothed and seasonally adjusted; a model estimate of value, not a sale price. Data through Zillow Research.
Rents #
Zillow publishes no rent index for this area (ZORI covers about 1,400 counties)
- US counties: not published this period
- Virginia counties: not published this period
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), smoothed, all homes and multifamily; price-to-rent = typical home / (typical rent × 12).
What the typical home costs to carry #
Principal and interest of $858 a month on $156,820 at 7.28%, against an average weekly wage worth $3,181 a month: 27.0% of one job’s pay.
- payment = P·r / (1 − (1+r)^−n), P = $156,820 × 80% = $125,456, r = 7.28%/12 (Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, 2026-10-01), n = 360 → $858/mo principal and interest
- wage share = payment / (avg weekly wage $734 × 52 / 12 = $3,181) = 27% of one average job's pay (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all covered jobs)
- years of wages = $156,820 / ($734 × 52) = 4.1
The wage is one covered job’s average, not a household’s income, so this is the share of a single paycheque and not a mortgage underwriting ratio.
Estimate. Principal and interest on the typical home with 20% down over 30 years at this week's Freddie Mac average rate; compared with the average weekly wage of all jobs covered by unemployment insurance in the area (BLS QCEW), which is pay per job, not household income.
Jobs & wages #
2,875 jobs at 266 employers (2026 Q1); -15.1% jobs and -5.8% average weekly wage over the year
- 23rd pct · 2,468th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 12th pct · 117th of 133 Virginia counties · median 9,944
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Emporia city, VA | 2,875 jobs · $734/wk · -15.1% YoY |
| NAICS sector | Jobs | Avg weekly wage | Location quotient | Jobs over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 827 | $850 | 1.91 | -4.8% |
| Retail trade | 543 | $625 | 1.94 | -1.6% |
| Administrative and waste services | 274 | $744 | 1.68 | +5.8% |
| Other services | 67 | $641 | 0.78 | -5.6% |
| Real estate and rental | 50 | $1,007 | 1.13 | +150.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 40 | $1,071 | 0.34 | -9.1% |
| Utilities | withheld | |||
| Construction | withheld | |||
| Manufacturing | withheld | |||
| Wholesale trade | withheld | |||
| Transportation and warehousing | withheld | |||
| Information | withheld |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, all ownerships, total covered employment in the quarter's third month; over-the-year changes as published. Suppressed cells stay blank.
Drought #
D2 severe drought
Sites found: 5, searched within 0 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 0 km away are not.
US Drought Monitor current week; the highest class of any polygon containing the point.
Reservoirs #
4 USGS reservoir gauges, no capacity figures to weight
Sites found: 4, searched within 150 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 150 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| FALLS LAKE ABOVE DAM NR FALLS, NC | 246.6 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 126 km |
| BEAVERDAM CREEK AT DAM NEAR CREEDMOOR, NC | 248.5 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 127 km |
| AFTERBAY RESERVOIR AT DAM NR MCGEHEES MILL, NC | 364.6 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 132 km |
| HYCO LAKE AT DAM NR ROXBORO, NC | 8.00 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 136 km |
Σ(capacity × percent full) / Σ capacity over TWDB reservoirs within 150 km. Texas only; elsewhere USGS reservoir elevation/storage is listed without a capacity to normalise by.
Stream gauges #
28 gauges · 0 flooding · 4 with quality panels averaging 100 % · 2 stale
Sites found: 28, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| MEHERRIN RIVER AT EMPORIA, VA | flow 52.7 ft³/s | 1 km |
| FOUNTAINS CREEK NEAR BRINK, VA | flow 56.0 ft³/s · STALE | 17 km |
| MEHERRIN RIVER NEAR BRYANTS CORNER, VA | flow 53.9 ft³/s | 21 km |
| NOTTOWAY RIVER NEAR STONY CREEK, VA | flow 23.8 ft³/s | 26 km |
| NOTTOWAY RIVER AT ROUTE 609 NEAR MCKENNEY, VA | flow 66.3 ft³/s | 26 km |
| MEHERRIN RIVER NEAR LAWRENCEVILLE, VA | flow 40.1 ft³/s | 26 km |
| ROANOKE RIVER AT ROANOKE RAPIDS, NC | flow 1,870 ft³/s | 28 km |
| NOTTOWAY RIVER NEAR SEBRELL, VA | flow 53.8 ft³/s | 34 km |
| NOTTOWAY RIVER NEAR RAWLINGS, VA | flow 112.0 ft³/s | 40 km |
| ROANOKE RIVER AT HALIFAX, NC | stage 16.9 ft · quality 100 % (4) | 41 km |
USGS latest readings screened against EPA freshwater criteria (DO ≥ 5 mg/L, pH 6.5–9, conductance, turbidity, temperature); NWS flood categories where a NWPS gauge is co-located.
Groundwater #
60 wells in 0 named aquifers:
Sites found: 60, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-364109077230701 | depth 59.0 ft · 1995-10-18 | 13 km |
| USGS-363916077201002 | depth 69.7 ft · 1987-10-27 | 18 km |
| USGS-363916077201005 | depth 71.9 ft · 1987-10-26 | 18 km |
| USGS-363916077201006 | depth 42.0 ft · 1987-10-27 | 18 km |
| USGS-363916077201004 | depth 73.0 ft · 1987-10-27 | 18 km |
| USGS-363916077201003 | depth 72.9 ft · 1987-10-27 | 18 km |
| USGS-365530077104002 | depth 84.4 ft · 2026-10-05 | 41 km |
| USGS-365530077104007 | depth 69.0 ft · 2026-10-05 | 41 km |
USGS latest daily water levels. A single latest reading says where the table is, not which way it is moving; select a well for its 365-day trace.
Water stress #
moderate (0.32)
Σ wᵢ·termᵢ / Σ wᵢ = 0.35×0.50 + 0.2×0.00 / 0.55
Banks & federal dollars #
$268.9 m in deposits at 4 offices of 4 banks (SOD June 2026); HHI 2,865, highly concentrated. $45.3 m federal obligations in FY2026 (direct payments $39.4 m, grants $4.7 m), $15,773 per covered job
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark Community Bank | $95.5 m · 35.5% share · 1 office | |
| Truist Bank | $88.7 m · 33.0% share · 1 office | |
| First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | $50.7 m · 18.9% share · 1 office | |
| Emporia (City), VA | $45.3 m FY2026 · $15,773/job | |
| MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS | $38.2 m · top recipient FY2026 |
| Institution | Deposits | Share | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark Community Bank | $95,490,000 | 35.5% | 1 |
| Truist Bank | $88,728,000 | 33.0% | 1 |
| First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | $50,731,000 | 18.9% | 1 |
| The Bank of Southside Virginia | $33,952,000 | 12.6% | 1 |
Deposit concentration is 2,865 across 4 banks, which the 1995 Department of Justice bank merger screen calls highly concentrated.
HHI = Σ (share %)² over 4 banks with deposits in the county = 35.5² + 33.0² + 18.9² + … (1 more) = 2,865
FDIC Summary of Deposits: deposits at every insured office as of June 30, annual; HHI is the sum of squared county deposit shares (DOJ 1995 bank merger screen: 1000 / 1800). USAspending: obligations by place of performance for the latest complete federal fiscal year (Oct 1 to Sep 30), what agencies committed, not what they paid out; recipients are legal entities. Per-job divides obligations by BLS QCEW covered employment.
Federal obligations #
USAspending place-of-performance obligations for FY2026, by awarding agency.
| Awarding agency | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Social Security Administration | $27,811,530 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $11,437,827 |
| Department of Health and Human Services | $2,593,807 |
| Department of Transportation | $2,071,464 |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development | $931,626 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | $284,293 |
| Department of Agriculture | $200,717 |
| Federal Communications Commission | $16,031 |
That is $15,773 per covered job, against 2,875 jobs in the 2026 Q1 QCEW quarter.
per job = FY2026 obligations $45.3 m / 2,875 covered jobs (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all ownerships) = $15,773
USAspending obligations are recorded where the work is performed, so a prime award performed here is counted here even when the recipient is headquartered elsewhere. Recipients are legal entities, never people.
National context, not this county #
These are United States, single-gauge, single-state and port series. None of them is keyed to this county.
| Series | Latest | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River at Memphis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Mississippi River at St. Louis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Ohio River at Louisville, stage · ft | 12.69 | 2026-10-05 | +3.3% |
| Missouri River at St. Joseph, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Colorado River below Hoover Dam, flow (Hoover releases) · ft³/s | 5,170.00 | 2026-02-05 | -25.3% |
| Texas reservoirs, statewide percent full · % | 72.60 | 2026-10-06 | +0.0% |
| Laredo truck crossings, monthly · trucks | 258,700.00 | 2026-08-01 | -0.4% |
| Los Angeles + Long Beach container volume, annual · TEU | 10,513,167.00 | 2023-01-01 | -13.5% |
| Containerships waiting for a berth, all US ports · ships | 6.00 | 2026-09-22 | -14.3% |
| Shanghai to Los Angeles container rate · $ per 40 ft box | 6,830.00 | 2026-08-01 | +7.4% |
| US diesel retail price · $ per gallon | unavailable | not published | |
| WTI crude oil, spot · $ per barrel | 96.16 | 2026-09-29 | -3.2% |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate · % | 7.28 | 2026-10-01 | +3.6% |
| Housing starts, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,275.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.6% |
| Building permits, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,403.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.1% |
| Case-Shiller US home price index · index, Jan 2000 = 100 | 337.31 | 2026-07-01 | +0.1% |
| Unemployment rate · % | 4.20 | 2026-09-01 | +2.4% |
| US goods and services trade balance, monthly · $ millions | -88,576.00 | 2026-07-01 | -24.4% |
| Retail sales excluding food services, monthly · $ millions | 646,347.00 | 2026-08-01 | +1.1% |
The indicator registry has no county-keyed series and no geographic selection: every entry is national, a named gauge, a single state or a port. They are here as the backdrop the county's own numbers move against, and they are never this county's readings.
What changed #
Emporia city, VA: 13 findings, 1 at an alert level, 3 at a watch level and 9 noted
alertEmporia city, VA's covered employment is -15.1% against a year earlier, an alert level here: covered employment at least 3 percent below the same quarter a year earlier (BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- test: jobs.yoy.emp = -15.1 <= -3
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
watchEmporia city, VA's covered employment is -15.1% against a year earlier, a watch level here: covered employment below the same quarter a year earlier (BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- test: jobs.yoy.emp = -15.1 < 0
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published; not an official level
watchEmporia city, VA's average weekly wage is -5.8% against a year earlier, a watch level here: average weekly wage below the same quarter a year earlier, before inflation (BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published, nominal dollars; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- test: jobs.yoy.avgWeeklyWage = -5.8 < 0
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published, nominal dollars; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
watchEmporia city, VA's momentum index is -0.42, a watch level here: momentum index in the cooling band (the cooling band of the momentum index computed here, score at or below -0.25; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026-08.Show the arithmetic
- test: momentum = -0.4224631183757314 <= -0.25
- momentum = Σ wᵢ · clip(changeᵢ / scaleᵢ, −1, 1) / Σ wᵢ over the terms present; weights and scales: home value 1-yr change 0.3 (±10%), rent 1-yr change 0.15 (±10%), jobs over-the-year change 0.3 (±3%), avg weekly wage over-the-year change 0.25 (±6%)
the cooling band of the momentum index computed here, score at or below -0.25; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
noteEmporia city, VA's covered employment was 15.1% lower than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- -15.1 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
Read all 12 findings in the full brief
Every finding is produced by a fixed rule table and a fixed sentence for each rule. Nothing here is generated prose.