Pennington Gap, Virginia
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Pennington Gap is a town in
Lee County, Virginia Lee County is the westernmost county in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,173. Its county seat is Jonesville. History The area of far western Virginia and eastern Kentucky supported large Arch ...
, United States. The population was 1,624 at the 2020 census.


History

The Pennington Gap post office was established in 1891. The Lee Regional Medical Center in Pennington Gap closed in October 2013, but reopened as Lee County Community Hospital in 2021.


Geography

Pennington Gap is located at (36.756580, −83.029375). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km), all land. Pennington Gap is located at the junction of U.S. Route 58A and
U.S. Route 421 U.S. Route 421 (also U.S. Highway 421, US 421) is a diagonal northwest–southeast United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway in the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. The highwa ...
.


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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Pennington Gap has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics

At the 2020 census there were 1,624 people living in the town.


2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 1,781 people, 811 households, and 480 families living in the town. The population density was 1,174.0 people per square mile (452.4/km). There were 950 housing units at an average density of 626.2 per square mile (241.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 95.28% White, 3.43% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.28% Asian, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67%. Of the 811 households 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 37.5% of households were one person and 16.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.84. The age distribution was 20.5% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 74.6 males. The median household income was $18,056 and the median family income was $27,875. Males had a median income of $27,885 versus $18,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,742. About 28.3% of families and 31.3% 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 ...
, including 42.0% of those under age 18 and 24.7% of those age 65 or over.


Government

The
Federal Bureau of Prisons The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Justice that is responsible for all List of United States federal prisons, federal prisons ...
United States Penitentiary, Lee is located in the Lee County Industrial Park in unincorporated Lee County, near Pennington Gap.USP Lee Contact Information
" Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on August 23, 2010.


Education

Lee County Public Schools operates schools in the county. Pennington Elementary School was located on Morgan Avenue, consisting of three buildings built at various times, 1912, 1917, and 1937. In 1989, with the consolidation of many of the county's high schools at the newly constructed Lee High School, the old Pennington High School was converted into Pennington Middle School (grades 5–7).


Notable people

* Barry Audia, pro boxer *
Claude Ely "Brother" Claude Ely (July 22, 1922 – May 7, 1978) was an American Appalachian religious singer-songwriter and a Holiness Pentecostal preacher. Early life Brother Claude Daniel Ely, coined as the King Recording Label's "Gospel Ranger" of the ...
, preacher and songwriter * Jim Pankovits, pro baseball player * William C. Wampler, representative to the United States Congress * Carol S. Wood, mathematician


References

{{authority control Towns in Lee County, Virginia Towns in Virginia