Virginia Counties by Population (2026)
2026 Pop.
100K
200K
300K
400K
500K
600K
700K
800K
900K
1M
1.1M
Top 5 Most Populous Counties
1,189,421
507,853
456,866
455,812
399,993
133 Counties
| County | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Area (mi²) | Density | Change (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | 1,189,421 | 391 | 3,042 | 3.55% |
| Prince William County | 507,853 | 335 | 1,516 | 5.18% |
| Virginia Beach city | 456,866 | 245 | 1,865 | -0.61% |
| Loudoun County | 455,812 | 516 | 883 | 7.83% |
| Chesterfield County | 399,993 | 424 | 943 | 9.48% |
| Henrico County | 344,630 | 234 | 1,473 | 2.89% |
| Chesapeake city | 257,057 | 338 | 761 | 2.94% |
| Arlington County | 249,059 | 26 | 9,579 | 4.28% |
| Richmond city | 240,199 | 60 | 4,003 | 5.85% |
| Norfolk city | 230,559 | 53 | 4,350 | -3.05% |
| Newport News city | 182,670 | 69 | 2,647 | -1.82% |
| Stafford County | 175,115 | 269 | 651 | 11% |
| Alexandria city | 164,764 | 15 | 10,984 | 3.53% |
| Spotsylvania County | 156,835 | 402 | 390 | 11.54% |
| Hampton city | 138,474 | 51 | 2,715 | 0.87% |
| Albemarle County | 120,225 | 720 | 167 | 6.81% |
| Hanover County | 117,541 | 468 | 251 | 6.65% |
| Suffolk city | 107,215 | 399 | 269 | 13.1% |
| Frederick County | 101,971 | 413 | 247 | 10.95% |
| Roanoke city | 98,730 | 43 | 2,296 | -1.17% |
| Montgomery County | 98,726 | 387 | 255 | -0.86% |
| Roanoke County | 97,476 | 251 | 388 | 0.54% |
| Portsmouth city | 95,882 | 33 | 2,906 | -2.16% |
| Rockingham County | 89,762 | 850 | 106 | 7.14% |
| James City County | 83,699 | 142 | 589 | 6.64% |
| Bedford County | 83,290 | 760 | 110 | 4.66% |
| Lynchburg city | 81,353 | 49 | 1,660 | 2.99% |
| Augusta County | 79,366 | 967 | 82 | 2.29% |
| Fauquier County | 77,083 | 648 | 119 | 5.58% |
| York County | 72,138 | 105 | 687 | 2.71% |
| Pittsylvania County | 59,068 | 969 | 61 | -2.17% |
| Culpeper County | 58,245 | 379 | 154 | 10.38% |
| Franklin County | 55,969 | 691 | 81 | 2.74% |
| Campbell County | 55,530 | 503 | 110 | -0.14% |
| Washington County | 54,238 | 561 | 97 | 0.62% |
| Harrisonburg city | 50,736 | 17 | 2,984 | -1.87% |
| Henry County | 48,883 | 382 | 128 | -3.86% |
| Shenandoah County | 45,953 | 508 | 90 | 3.83% |
| Manassas city | 44,674 | 10 | 4,467 | 4.64% |
| Prince George County | 44,671 | 265 | 169 | 3.68% |
| Louisa County | 44,311 | 495 | 90 | 17.27% |
| Charlottesville city | 44,207 | 10 | 4,421 | -4.8% |
| Warren County | 43,419 | 215 | 202 | 6.43% |
| Danville city | 41,763 | 43 | 971 | -1.91% |
| Isle of Wight County | 41,492 | 316 | 131 | 7.19% |
| Gloucester County | 40,414 | 218 | 185 | 4.36% |
| Orange County | 39,984 | 341 | 117 | 9.86% |
| Tazewell County | 38,181 | 519 | 74 | -5.52% |
| Petersburg city | 35,518 | 23 | 1,544 | 6.35% |
| Caroline County | 35,021 | 527 | 66 | 13.23% |
| Wise County | 34,537 | 403 | 86 | -4.24% |
| Botetourt County | 34,079 | 541 | 63 | 1.3% |
| Accomack County | 33,657 | 449 | 75 | 0.78% |
| Pulaski County | 33,523 | 320 | 105 | -0.82% |
| Halifax County | 33,476 | 818 | 41 | -1.33% |
| Powhatan County | 32,950 | 260 | 127 | 8.21% |
| Amherst County | 31,832 | 474 | 67 | 1.66% |
| Fredericksburg city | 31,524 | 10 | 3,152 | 12.61% |
| Mecklenburg County | 31,228 | 625 | 50 | 3.12% |
| Goochland County | 30,237 | 282 | 107 | 21.57% |
| King George County | 29,604 | 180 | 164 | 10.35% |
| Carroll County | 29,322 | 475 | 62 | 0.61% |
| Fluvanna County | 29,278 | 287 | 102 | 7.27% |
| New Kent County | 29,232 | 210 | 139 | 26.4% |
| Smyth County | 29,037 | 451 | 64 | -2.49% |
| Dinwiddie County | 28,974 | 504 | 57 | 3.89% |
| Fairfax city | 28,168 | 6 | 4,695 | 16.5% |
| Wythe County | 27,958 | 462 | 61 | -1.29% |
| Winchester city | 27,892 | 9 | 3,099 | -0.4% |
| Staunton city | 27,211 | 20 | 1,361 | 5.43% |
| Salem city | 26,386 | 15 | 1,759 | 3.9% |
| Russell County | 25,256 | 474 | 53 | -1.94% |
| Waynesboro city | 24,328 | 15 | 1,622 | 9.21% |
| Page County | 23,694 | 310 | 76 | 0.02% |
| Hopewell city | 23,144 | 10 | 2,314 | 0.57% |
| Prince Edward County | 22,832 | 350 | 65 | 4.29% |
| Greene County | 22,450 | 156 | 144 | 8.94% |
| Rockbridge County | 22,316 | 597 | 37 | -1.51% |
| Lee County | 21,818 | 435 | 50 | -1.31% |
| Scott County | 21,276 | 536 | 40 | -1.44% |
| Westmoreland County | 19,869 | 229 | 87 | 7.37% |
| King William County | 19,626 | 274 | 72 | 9.51% |
| Colonial Heights city | 19,130 | 8 | 2,391 | 5.31% |
| Buchanan County | 17,940 | 503 | 36 | -11.41% |
| Radford city | 17,831 | 10 | 1,783 | 10.65% |
| Southampton County | 17,823 | 599 | 30 | -0.71% |
| Buckingham County | 17,369 | 580 | 30 | 3.2% |
| Appomattox County | 17,201 | 334 | 52 | 6.46% |
| Patrick County | 17,044 | 483 | 35 | -3.11% |
| Manassas Park city | 16,937 | 3 | 5,646 | -1.32% |
| Giles County | 16,677 | 357 | 47 | -0.65% |
| Clarke County | 15,984 | 176 | 91 | 7.88% |
| Williamsburg city | 15,858 | 9 | 1,762 | 2.49% |
| Nottoway County | 15,756 | 314 | 50 | 0.71% |
| Brunswick County | 15,648 | 566 | 28 | -1.13% |
| Bristol city | 15,612 | 13 | 1,201 | -9.77% |
| Floyd County | 15,588 | 381 | 41 | 0.74% |
| Falls Church city | 15,492 | 2 | 7,746 | 5.55% |
| Grayson County | 15,325 | 442 | 35 | 0.3% |
| Nelson County | 15,048 | 471 | 32 | 2.1% |
| Alleghany County | 14,500 | 447 | 32 | -4.57% |
| Madison County | 14,486 | 321 | 45 | 4.51% |
| Martinsville city | 13,996 | 11 | 1,272 | 3.86% |
| Amelia County | 13,956 | 355 | 39 | 5.19% |
| Poquoson city | 13,336 | 15 | 889 | 6.92% |
| Dickenson County | 13,045 | 330 | 40 | -7.33% |
| Northumberland County | 12,415 | 191 | 65 | 4.88% |
| Lunenburg County | 12,096 | 432 | 28 | 1.22% |
| Northampton County | 11,960 | 212 | 56 | -2.09% |
| Lancaster County | 11,332 | 133 | 85 | 3.92% |
| Greensville County | 11,102 | 295 | 38 | -2.58% |
| Charlotte County | 11,000 | 475 | 23 | -4.67% |
| Middlesex County | 10,971 | 130 | 84 | 3.39% |
| Essex County | 10,813 | 257 | 42 | 2.04% |
| Sussex County | 10,671 | 490 | 22 | -1.18% |
| Cumberland County | 10,436 | 297 | 35 | 7.82% |
| Richmond County | 9,321 | 191 | 49 | 4.52% |
| Mathews County | 8,670 | 86 | 101 | 1.77% |
| Franklin city | 8,487 | 8 | 1,061 | 4.16% |
| Lexington city | 8,294 | 2 | 4,147 | 13.38% |
| Rappahannock County | 7,527 | 266 | 28 | 2.79% |
| King and Queen County | 6,749 | 315 | 21 | 2.43% |
| Galax city | 6,619 | 8 | 827 | -1.46% |
| Buena Vista city | 6,595 | 6 | 1,099 | -0.39% |
| Surry County | 6,587 | 279 | 24 | 0.55% |
| Charles City County | 6,422 | 183 | 35 | -4.8% |
| Bland County | 6,116 | 358 | 17 | -2.24% |
| Covington city | 5,767 | 5 | 1,153 | 0.38% |
| Emporia city | 5,248 | 7 | 750 | -7.83% |
| Craig County | 4,833 | 328 | 15 | -0.96% |
| Bath County | 4,073 | 529 | 8 | -2.75% |
| Norton city | 3,432 | 7 | 490 | -6.76% |
| Highland County | 2,342 | 415 | 6 | 4.55% |
Overview of Virginia Counties
There are 133 counties in Virginia.
Fairfax County is the largest county in the state, with a population of 1,189,421. The most recent census shows that its population has increased by 0.04% since the previous census.
A number of other Virginia counties also boast relatively large populations for their state, though not able to match the density of Fairfax County:
- Prince William County : 507,853
- Virginia Beach city : 456,866
Virginia Counties with the Fewest Residents
The smallest county in Virginia is Highland County , with a population of just 2,342. This total represents a increase of 0.0% since the last census count was performed.
Other small counties include:
- Norton city : 3,432
- Bath County : 4,073
- Craig County : 4,833
Virginia Counties with Rapid Growth
New Kent County , with its current population of 29,232, has shown the largest population growth, with an increase of 0.3% since the last census.
Prince William County has also had relatively high population growth of 0.05% with 507,853 residents.
On the other hand, Buchanan County has had the largest decrease in population, with its 17,940 current residents totalling 0.1% less than the previous census.
Sources
- US Census State Population Estimates - Most recent state estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program
- US Census County Population Estimates - Most recent county estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program
- American Community Survey (2009 - 2013)
- Census QuickFacts
- Historical Populations of States and Counties (1790 - 1990)