Virginia has a population of over 8.4 million, making it the 12th most populous state in the U.S. Virginia Beach is the state’s most populous city, with a population of 452,745. The state has six additional cities with populations of over 100,000: Norfolk, Chesapeake, the capital city Richmond, Newport News, Alexandria and Hampton. There are 31 cities with a population of at least 10,000 people but no more than 100,000.
Incorporated municipalities in Virginia are designated as either a city or a town. All cities are independent of counties. There is a total of 38 independent cities within the state. These cities are further designated as either first class or second class based upon their population. First class cities must have populations exceeding 10,000 inhabitants. Eight of the 38 cities are classified as second class cities with populations below 10,000. The smallest city in Virginia by population is Norton, with had a population of 3,958.