Merrimac is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) in Montgomery County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, United States. The population was 2,133 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Blacksburg– Christiansburg

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

which encompasses all of Montgomery County and the city of Radford.

History

According to one source, Merrimac was so named because coal from area mines was used on CSS ''Virginia'' (formerly ). A post office called Merrimac Mines operated from 1904 until 1935. The Linkous-Kipps House and Montgomery Primitive Baptist Church are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Geography

Merrimac is located at (37.192257, −80.422247). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the CDP has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 1,751 people, 889 households, and 353 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 963.5 people per square mile (371.5/km²). There were 934 housing units at an average density of 513.9/sq mi (198.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.35%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 1.88%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.57% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.34% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.91% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.91% of the population. There were 889 households, out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.2% were non-families. 53.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82 and the average family size was 2.76. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 17.2% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 28.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $21,462, and the median income for a family was $40,800. Males had a median income of $31,223 versus $20,547 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $16,634. About 12.4% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Merrimac has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Merrimac, Virginia
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References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Montgomery County, Virginia Census-designated places in Virginia Blacksburg–Christiansburg metropolitan area Coal towns in Virginia