Smyth County, VA elected officials: supervisors or council members, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Smyth County: 19 seats on 7 elected bodies.
Board of Supervisors (counties) or City Council (cities)
Smyth County Board of Supervisors
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Supervisor, Atkins | Charles E. Atkins source |
| Supervisor, North Fork | Ricky A. Billings source |
| Supervisor, Park | Kristopher S. Ratliff source |
| Supervisor, Rye Valley | W. Jason Parris source |
| Supervisor, Chilhowie | Mike L. Sturgill source |
| Supervisor, Royal Oak | S. Courtney Widener source |
| Supervisor, Saltville | Roscoe D. "Mike" Call source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the Circuit Court | John H. Graham source |
| Commissioner of the Revenue | Bradley A. Powers source |
| Commonwealth's Attorney | Phillip L. "Bucky" Blevins, Jr. source |
| Sheriff | B. C. "Chip" Shuler source |
| Treasurer | Thomas W. Burkett, II source |
School Board
Smyth County School Board
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| School Board Member, Atkins | Susan B. Williams source |
| School Board Member, North Fork | Charles M. "Mac" Buchanan, Jr. source |
| School Board Member, Park | Lynn M. White source |
| School Board Member, Rye Valley | Sue Dye Tilson source |
| School Board Member, Chilhowie | Benjamen L. Adams source |
| School Board Member, Royal Oak | Paul L. Grinstead source |
| School Board Member, Saltville | Joseph D. Johnson source |
How many local governments Smyth County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 10 local governments in Smyth County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships | 3 | 0 |
| School districts (school boards) | 0 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 6 | 0 |
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (1 in Smyth County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Smyth County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.1% · White 93.4% · Black 2% · Asian 0.1% · Other or more than one race 2.4% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Smyth County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 4.6% | 531 | 11,038 | 11,569 |
| August 2026 | 4.3% | 501 | 11,033 | 11,534 |
| July 2026 | 4.6% | 531 | 11,085 | 11,616 |
| June 2026 | 4.8% | 564 | 11,073 | 11,637 |
| May 2026 | 4.5% | 526 | 11,168 | 11,694 |
| April 2026 | 4.2% | 491 | 11,274 | 11,765 |
| March 2026 | 4.8% | 563 | 11,228 | 11,791 |
| February 2026 | 5.2% | 615 | 11,181 | 11,796 |
| January 2026 | 5.3% | 631 | 11,173 | 11,804 |
| December 2025 | 4.6% | 541 | 11,123 | 11,664 |
| November 2025 | 5.2% | 607 | 11,134 | 11,741 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 4.3% | 511 | 11,315 | 11,826 |
| August 2025 | 4.5% | 529 | 11,344 | 11,873 |
| July 2025 | 4.1% | 486 | 11,422 | 11,908 |
| June 2025 | 4.3% | 512 | 11,348 | 11,860 |
| May 2025 | 4.0% | 473 | 11,348 | 11,821 |
| April 2025 | 3.6% | 430 | 11,649 | 12,079 |
| March 2025 | 4.1% | 492 | 11,600 | 12,092 |
| February 2025 | 4.2% | 508 | 11,520 | 12,028 |
| January 2025 | 4.1% | 497 | 11,529 | 12,026 |
| December 2024 | 3.6% | 434 | 11,522 | 11,956 |
| November 2024 | 4.1% | 485 | 11,453 | 11,938 |
| October 2024 | 3.8% | 458 | 11,610 | 12,068 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 4.3% | 508 | 11,394 | 11,902 |
| 2024 | 3.8% | 471 | 11,826 | 12,297 |
| 2023 | 3.2% | 404 | 12,232 | 12,636 |
| 2022 | 3.2% | 392 | 11,787 | 12,179 |
| 2021 | 4.6% | 553 | 11,584 | 12,137 |
| 2020 | 7.4% | 888 | 11,144 | 12,032 |
| 2019 | 4.0% | 497 | 11,846 | 12,343 |
| 2018 | 4.4% | 541 | 11,802 | 12,343 |
| 2017 | 5.4% | 677 | 11,884 | 12,561 |
| 2016 | 6.0% | 780 | 12,230 | 13,010 |
Crime reported in Smyth County
Earlier years
| Year | Violent | Rate | Property | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | 181.4 | 226 | 773.5 |
| 2024 | 44 | 149.6 | 288 | 979.1 |
| 2023 | 46 | 156.1 | 287 | 973.9 |
| 2022 | 48 | 162.8 | 332 | 1,125.9 |
| 2021 | 32 | 106.5 | 307 | 1,022.1 |
| 2020 | 52 | 173.1 | 347 | 1,155.2 |
| 2019 | 56 | 185.0 | 444 | 1,466.4 |
| 2018 | 58 | 189.8 | 418 | 1,367.9 |
| 2017 | 39 | 125.6 | 587 | 1,890.6 |
| 2016 | 76 | 242.3 | 567 | 1,807.7 |
By police agency (4)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smyth County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 27 | 86 | 20,291 |
| Marion Police Department | 2025 | 21 | 94 | 5,566 |
| Saltville Police Department | 2025 | 1 | 19 | 1,762 |
| Chilhowie Police Department | 2025 | 4 | 27 | 1,599 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (4), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smyth County Sheriff's Office | 59 | 1 | 20,291 |
| Marion Police Department | 20 | 1 | 5,566 |
| Saltville Police Department | 6 | 0 | 1,762 |
| Chilhowie Police Department | 6 | 0 | 1,599 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 91 | 3.11 | 2 | 4 |
| 2022 | 76 | 2.58 | 13 | 4 |
| 2020 | 77 | 2.56 | 14 | 4 |
| 2019 | 73 | 2.41 | 8 | 4 |
| 2018 | 74 | 2.42 | 8 | 4 |
| 2017 | 71 | 2.29 | 8 | 4 |
| 2016 | 77 | 2.45 | 2 | 4 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Smyth County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
- John H. Graham is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Smyth County, Virginia.
- Who is the Smyth County Commissioner of the Revenue?
- Bradley A. Powers is the Commissioner of the Revenue of Smyth County, Virginia.
- Who is the Smyth County Commonwealth's Attorney?
- Phillip L. "Bucky" Blevins, Jr. is the Commonwealth's Attorney of Smyth County, Virginia.
- Who is the Smyth County Sheriff?
- B. C. "Chip" Shuler is the Sheriff of Smyth County, Virginia.
- Who is the Smyth County Treasurer?
- Thomas W. Burkett, II is the Treasurer of Smyth County, Virginia.
- Who are the Smyth County commissioners?
- Charles E. Atkins (Supervisor, Atkins); Ricky A. Billings (Supervisor, North Fork); Kristopher S. Ratliff (Supervisor, Park); W. Jason Parris (Supervisor, Rye Valley); Mike L. Sturgill (Supervisor, Chilhowie); S. Courtney Widener (Supervisor, Royal Oak); Roscoe D. "Mike" Call (Supervisor, Saltville).
- Who is on the Smyth County School Board?
- Susan B. Williams (Atkins); Charles M. "Mac" Buchanan, Jr. (North Fork); Lynn M. White (Park); Sue Dye Tilson (Rye Valley); Benjamen L. Adams (Chilhowie); Paul L. Grinstead (Royal Oak); Joseph D. Johnson (Saltville).
- What is the population of Smyth County?
- About 29,420 people, with a median age of 46.4; the median household income is $49,883 and 16.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Smyth County?
- 4.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 531 people unemployed in a labor force of 11,569, against 4.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Smyth County?
- 10 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal and 6 special district governments.
Smyth County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Virginia county + independent city · Virginia's members of Congress
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