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Lexington, Virginia

Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the state of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,867. It is home to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and Washington and Lee University. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County6.

Geography

\nAccording to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.4 km² (2.5 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.

Demographics

As of the
census of 2000, there are 6,867 people, 2,232 households, and 1,080 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,064.8/km² (2,753.8/mi²). There are 2,376 housing units at an average density of 368.4/km² (952.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 86.01% White, 10.38% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.59% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 2,232 households out of which 18.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% are married couples living together, 8.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 51.6% are non-families. 41.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.06 and the average family size is 2.76.

The age distribution, which is heavily influenced by the city's two colleges, is: 11.0% under the age of 18, 41.4% from 18 to 24, 14.5% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 23 years. For every 100 females there are 123.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 127.2 males. The unusual sex distribution can be explained by the presence of VMI, which did not admit women until the mid-1990s and remains overwhelmingly male today.

The median income for a household in the city is $28,982, and the median income for a family is $58,529. Males have a median income of $35,288 versus $26,094 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,497. 21.6% of the population and 8.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 12.9% are under the age of 18 and 12.0% are 65 or older. However, traditional poverty statistics can be misleading when applied to communities with a large proportion of students, such as Lexington.