Chilhowie is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States, on the Middle Fork of the Holston River. As of the 2020 census, Chilhowie had a population of 1,654. The name Chilhowie is said to come from a Cherokee word meaning "valley of many deer". It is also notable for having only one traffic light in the entire city. I-81 runs through Chilhowie. It is located at exit 35.