RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 133 SHOWN OF 133

Fastest shrinking, Virginia counties

Virginia counties with the steepest population decline from the 2020 census to 2025. 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 population gained Most population lost Most densely populated Most sparsely populated

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Buchanan County, VAVA18,492-9.2%−34%

02Dickenson County, VAVA13,236-6.3%−10%

03Norton, VAVA3,477-5.7%−29%

04Emporia, VAVA5,447-5.5%−182%

05Bristol, VAVA16,418-4.7%−19%

06Charlottesville, VAVA44,388-4.7%−140%

07Alleghany County, VAVA14,546-4.4%+134%

08Tazewell County, VAVA38,635-4.4%+50%

09Manassas Park, VAVA16,560-3.8%−107%

10Wise County, VAVA34,824-3.6%−360%

11Henry County, VAVA49,242-3.3%−293%

12Northampton County, VAVA11,879-3.3%−1439%

13Bath County, VAVA4,076-3.2%−161%

14Smyth County, VAVA28,882-3.1%−240%

15Norfolk, VAVA231,013-2.9%−71%

16Lee County, VAVA21,642-2.4%−35%

17Charles City County, VAVA6,623-2.2%−122%

18Danville, VAVA41,647-2.2%−75%

19Bland County, VAVA6,151-1.9%−135%

20Harrisonburg, VAVA50,839-1.9%−106%

21Craig County, VAVA4,800-1.9%−111%

22Greensville County, VAVA11,181-1.8%−106%

23Scott County, VAVA21,200-1.7%−303%

24Russell County, VAVA25,332-1.7%−130%

25Halifax County, VAVA33,447-1.7%−106%

26Pittsylvania County, VAVA59,490-1.7%−115%

27Newport News, VAVA183,230-1.6%−127%

28Giles County, VAVA16,564-1.3%−175%

29Montgomery County, VAVA98,434-1.3%−110%

30Virginia Beach, VAVA453,737-1.2%−115%

31Portsmouth, VAVA96,777-1.2%−64%

32Charlotte County, VAVA11,401-1.1%−117%

33Wythe County, VAVA27,983-1.1%−113%

34Patrick County, VAVA17,424-1.0%−109%

35Covington, VAVA5,680-1.0%−90%

36Roanoke, VAVA99,111-0.9%−42%

37Brunswick County, VAVA15,727-0.8%−105%

38Galax, VAVA6,670-0.7%−130%

39Sussex County, VAVA10,755-0.7%−103%

40Grayson County, VAVA15,230-0.7%−107%

41Pulaski County, VAVA33,586-0.6%−135%

42Campbell County, VAVA55,629-0.1%−102%

43Washington County, VAVA53,898-0.1%−101%

44Mathews County, VAVA8,529-0.0%−100%

45Rockbridge County, VAVA22,663+0.1%−100%

46Hampton, VAVA137,315+0.1%−99%

47Page County, VAVA23,762+0.2%−97%

48Roanoke County, VAVA97,150+0.2%−97%

49Buena Vista, VAVA6,672+0.5%−152%

50Carroll County, VAVA29,299+0.5%−95%

51Essex County, VAVA10,654+0.5%−97%

52Winchester, VAVA28,272+0.5%−93%

53Southampton County, VAVA18,110+0.6%−263%

54Surry County, VAVA6,603+0.6%−94%

55Lancaster County, VAVA10,995+0.7%−89%

56Alexandria, VAVA160,662+0.7%−95%

57Petersburg, VAVA33,734+0.8%−107%

58Nelson County, VAVA14,920+1.0%−92%

59Nottoway County, VAVA15,796+1.0%−80%

60Hopewell, VAVA23,261+1.0%−131%

61Lunenburg County, VAVA12,058+1.0%−93%

62Rappahannock County, VAVA7,439+1.2%−77%

63Accomack County, VAVA33,859+1.3%−94%

64Mecklenburg County, VAVA30,747+1.4%−87%

65Fairfax County, VAVA1,167,873+1.5%−92%

66Botetourt County, VAVA34,144+1.6%−93%

67Salem, VAVA25,816+1.9%−56%

68Buckingham County, VAVA17,137+1.9%−91%

69Augusta County, VAVA78,940+1.9%−91%

70York County, VAVA71,374+1.9%−94%

71Franklin County, VAVA55,526+1.9%−90%

72Floyd County, VAVA15,789+2.0%−87%

73Middlesex County, VAVA10,841+2.0%−86%

74King and Queen County, VAVA6,743+2.0%−62%

75Amherst County, VAVA31,962+2.1%−82%

76Prince George County, VAVA43,936+2.2%−90%

77Arlington County, VAVA243,931+2.2%−80%

78Chesapeake, VAVA255,332+2.4%−92%

79Prince Edward County, VAVA22,391+2.5%−82%

80Henrico County, VAVA342,775+2.5%−88%

81Martinsville, VAVA13,849+2.7%−158%

82Amelia County, VAVA13,632+2.8%−91%

83Williamsburg, VAVA15,861+2.8%−30%

84Madison County, VAVA14,237+2.9%−40%

85Lynchburg, VAVA81,347+3.0%−351%

86Colonial Heights, VAVA18,738+3.1%−40%

87Dinwiddie County, VAVA28,896+3.4%−80%

88Falls Church, VAVA15,159+3.4%−59%

89Gloucester County, VAVA40,097+3.6%−77%

90Franklin, VAVA8,478+3.6%−41%

91Manassas, VAVA44,332+3.6%−86%

92Shenandoah County, VAVA45,839+3.7%−66%

93Highland County, VAVA2,318+3.9%−203%

94Staunton, VAVA26,801+4.1%−264%

95Richmond County, VAVA9,294+4.2%−80%

96Prince William County, VAVA502,966+4.3%−86%

97Bedford County, VAVA83,059+4.5%−86%

98Richmond, VAVA237,257+4.7%−281%

99Fauquier County, VAVA76,503+4.8%−63%

100Warren County, VAVA42,740+4.9%−76%

101Albemarle County, VAVA118,356+5.3%−68%

102Clarke County, VAVA15,609+5.6%+23%

103Hanover County, VAVA116,423+5.9%−84%

104Northumberland County, VAVA12,557+6.1%−63%

105Lexington, VAVA7,769+6.1%−564%

106Fluvanna County, VAVA28,975+6.3%−90%

107James City County, VAVA83,326+6.5%−83%

108Appomattox County, VAVA17,172+6.5%−43%

109Rockingham County, VAVA89,316+6.6%−63%

110Poquoson, VAVA13,292+6.7%+31%

111Westmoreland County, VAVA19,715+6.7%−16%

112Loudoun County, VAVA449,749+6.8%−93%

113Greene County, VAVA21,958+6.8%−86%

114Cumberland County, VAVA10,352+7.0%−54%

115Isle of Wight County, VAVA41,321+7.0%−62%

116Radford, VAVA17,243+7.3%−1536%

117Powhatan County, VAVA32,591+7.4%−84%

118Waynesboro, VAVA23,951+7.9%+51%

119Fredericksburg, VAVA30,393+8.6%+551%

120Stafford County, VAVA170,803+8.8%−83%

121Chesterfield County, VAVA397,148+8.9%−63%

122Frederick County, VAVA99,955+9.3%−68%

123Culpeper County, VAVA57,666+9.7%−58%

124King William County, VAVA19,617+10.1%−50%

125Orange County, VAVA40,083+10.6%−49%

126Fairfax, VAVA26,772+10.9%+14%

127King George County, VAVA29,646+10.9%−55%

128Spotsylvania County, VAVA155,388+11.0%−81%

129Suffolk, VAVA104,699+11.0%−50%

130Caroline County, VAVA34,413+11.4%−24%

131Louisa County, VAVA42,924+14.2%−46%

132Goochland County, VAVA29,187+18.0%−5%

133New Kent County, VAVA28,022+22.1%−23%

SHOWING 1–133 OF 133

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES