RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 133 SHOWN OF 133

Fastest shrinking, Virginia counties

Virginia counties with the steepest population decline since the prior decennial census. This list covers the 133 counties in Virginia that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Most densely populated Most sparsely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR2000 2010 2020

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Buchanan County, VAVA18,492-15.5%+12%

02Lee County, VAVA21,642-13.3%+260%

03Wise County, VAVA34,824-12.8%−1024%

04Dickenson County, VAVA13,236-11.2%+61%

05Bath County, VAVA4,076-11.0%−313%

06Russell County, VAVA25,332-10.8%−288%

07Sussex County, VAVA10,755-10.4%−147%

08Tazewell County, VAVA38,635-10.3%+248%

09Brunswick County, VAVA15,727-9.1%−160%

10Charlotte County, VAVA11,401-8.4%−225%

11Bland County, VAVA6,151-8.1%−248%

12Lunenburg County, VAVA12,058-7.6%−150%

13Smyth County, VAVA28,882-7.5%−440%

14Mecklenburg County, VAVA30,747-7.4%−169%

15Surry County, VAVA6,603-7.0%−163%

16Greensville County, VAVA11,181-7.0%−123%

17Scott County, VAVA21,200-6.9%−905%

18Norton, VAVA3,477-6.8%−15%

19Charles City County, VAVA6,623-6.7%−165%

20Prince Edward County, VAVA22,391-6.5%−147%

21Alleghany County, VAVA14,546-6.3%+233%

22Halifax County, VAVA33,447-6.1%−121%

23Henry County, VAVA49,242-5.9%−441%

24Craig County, VAVA4,800-5.7%−135%

25Mathews County, VAVA8,529-5.0%−148%

26Essex County, VAVA10,654-5.0%−133%

27King and Queen County, VAVA6,743-4.9%−189%

28Patrick County, VAVA17,424-4.8%−143%

29Pittsylvania County, VAVA59,490-4.7%−143%

30Franklin, VAVA8,478-4.7%−176%

31Galax, VAVA6,670-4.6%−283%

32Lancaster County, VAVA10,995-4.1%−167%

33Northumberland County, VAVA12,557-4.0%−124%

34Highland County, VAVA2,318-3.8%+2%

35Covington, VAVA5,680-3.8%−62%

36Cumberland County, VAVA10,352-3.8%−125%

37Richmond County, VAVA9,294-3.6%−117%

38Bristol, VAVA16,418-3.5%−40%

39Amherst County, VAVA31,962-3.2%−128%

40Wythe County, VAVA27,983-3.2%−139%

41Southampton County, VAVA18,110-3.1%+698%

42Pulaski County, VAVA33,586-3.1%−268%

43Middlesex County, VAVA10,841-3.0%−121%

44Franklin County, VAVA55,526-3.0%−115%

45Carroll County, VAVA29,299-3.0%−130%

46Giles County, VAVA16,564-2.9%−262%

47Emporia, VAVA5,447-2.7%−140%

48Martinsville, VAVA13,849-2.4%−47%

49Radford, VAVA17,243-2.1%+305%

50Norfolk, VAVA231,013-2.0%−81%

51Buckingham County, VAVA17,137-1.9%−109%

52Washington County, VAVA53,898-1.7%−115%

53Nelson County, VAVA14,920-1.6%−113%

54Page County, VAVA23,762-1.4%−120%

55Nottoway County, VAVA15,796-1.3%−127%

56Grayson County, VAVA15,230-1.3%−113%

57Danville, VAVA41,647-1.1%−88%

58Northampton County, VAVA11,879-0.9%−453%

59Rappahannock County, VAVA7,439-0.3%−106%

60Hampton, VAVA137,315-0.2%−102%

61Dinwiddie County, VAVA28,896-0.2%−101%

62Buena Vista, VAVA6,672-0.1%−85%

63Accomack County, VAVA33,859+0.8%−96%

64Floyd County, VAVA15,789+1.3%−92%

65Botetourt County, VAVA34,144+1.4%−94%

66Rockbridge County, VAVA22,663+1.5%−89%

67Campbell County, VAVA55,629+1.6%−79%

68Hopewell, VAVA23,261+2.0%−161%

69Salem, VAVA25,816+2.2%−47%

70Portsmouth, VAVA96,777+2.5%−177%

71Poquoson, VAVA13,292+2.6%−50%

72Newport News, VAVA183,230+3.1%−49%

73Roanoke, VAVA99,111+3.1%−299%

74Petersburg, VAVA33,734+3.2%−126%

75Lexington, VAVA7,769+3.9%−399%

76Madison County, VAVA14,237+4.0%−17%

77Colonial Heights, VAVA18,738+4.4%−16%

78Amelia County, VAVA13,632+4.5%−85%

79Lynchburg, VAVA81,347+4.6%−486%

80Virginia Beach, VAVA453,737+4.9%−40%

81Roanoke County, VAVA97,150+4.9%−39%

82Gloucester County, VAVA40,097+5.0%−67%

83Augusta County, VAVA78,940+5.1%−75%

84Shenandoah County, VAVA45,839+5.2%−52%

85Clarke County, VAVA15,609+5.3%+17%

86Montgomery County, VAVA98,434+5.6%−57%

87Waynesboro, VAVA23,951+5.7%+8%

88Westmoreland County, VAVA19,715+5.9%−27%

89Harrisonburg, VAVA50,839+5.9%−81%

90Fluvanna County, VAVA28,975+6.1%−90%

91Fairfax County, VAVA1,167,873+6.3%−66%

92York County, VAVA71,374+7.0%−79%

93Fairfax, VAVA26,772+7.0%−27%

94Charlottesville, VAVA44,388+7.1%−39%

95Winchester, VAVA28,272+7.3%−2%

96Appomattox County, VAVA17,172+7.7%−33%

97Powhatan County, VAVA32,591+8.2%−82%

98Caroline County, VAVA34,413+8.2%−46%

99Orange County, VAVA40,083+8.3%−60%

100Warren County, VAVA42,740+8.4%−60%

101Staunton, VAVA26,801+8.4%−440%

102Henrico County, VAVA342,775+8.9%−56%

103Isle of Wight County, VAVA41,321+9.5%−49%

104Williamsburg, VAVA15,861+9.6%+138%

105Rockingham County, VAVA89,316+9.8%−45%

106Hanover County, VAVA116,423+10.1%−72%

107Richmond, VAVA237,257+11.0%−523%

108Suffolk, VAVA104,699+11.5%−48%

109Greene County, VAVA21,958+11.7%−76%

110King William County, VAVA19,617+11.8%−42%

111Fauquier County, VAVA76,503+11.9%−9%

112Chesapeake, VAVA255,332+12.2%−61%

113Culpeper County, VAVA57,666+12.6%−46%

114Manassas, VAVA44,332+13.1%−49%

115King George County, VAVA29,646+13.3%−45%

116Louisa County, VAVA42,924+13.4%−49%

117Albemarle County, VAVA118,356+13.6%−18%

118Goochland County, VAVA29,187+13.9%−27%

119Alexandria, VAVA160,662+13.9%−9%

120Spotsylvania County, VAVA155,388+14.4%−75%

121Arlington County, VAVA243,931+14.9%+38%

122Fredericksburg, VAVA30,393+15.2%+1049%

123Chesterfield County, VAVA397,148+15.3%−37%

124Bedford County, VAVA83,059+15.7%−51%

125Frederick County, VAVA99,955+16.7%−43%

126James City County, VAVA83,326+16.8%−56%

127Falls Church, VAVA15,159+18.9%+126%

128Prince William County, VAVA502,966+20.0%−34%

129Prince George County, VAVA43,936+20.4%−1%

130Manassas Park, VAVA16,560+20.6%−61%

131Stafford County, VAVA170,803+21.7%−57%

132New Kent County, VAVA28,022+24.5%−15%

133Loudoun County, VAVA449,749+34.8%−64%

SHOWING 1–133 OF 133

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES