RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 63 SHOWN OF 63

Most sparsely populated, Virginia cities

Virginia cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 63 cities in Virginia that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 63 is 1,779. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Alexandria, VA, up 133 places to #63.

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VirginiaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Suffolk, VAVA104,699262+64%

02▲5Wytheville, VAVA8,128561+4%

03▲5South Boston, VAVA7,795597−8%

04▲6Chesapeake, VAVA255,332754+28%

05▲11Emporia, VAVA5,447789−4%

06▲9Galax, VAVA6,670810−2%

07▲7Poquoson, VAVA13,292866+15%

08▲12Richlands, VAVA5,051894+22%

09▲3Bedford, VAVA7,911907+26%

10▲9Smithfield, VAVA9,112937+44%

11▲14Danville, VAVA41,647973−14%

12▲11Farmville, VAVA7,593989+11%

13▲11Franklin, VAVA8,4781,024+2%

14▲15Abingdon, VAVA8,2841,030+6%

15▲12Buena Vista, VAVA6,6721,036+5%

16▲14Covington, VAVA5,6801,039−10%

17▲16Big Stone Gap, VAVA5,1021,063+5%

18▲16Pulaski, VAVA8,8071,091−7%

19▲12Ashland, VAVA7,9821,109+21%

20▲20Marion, VAVA5,5551,159−13%

21▲20Martinsville, VAVA13,8491,264−10%

22▲25Bristol, VAVA16,4181,276−5%

23▲20Staunton, VAVA26,8011,345+12%

24▲29Petersburg, VAVA33,7341,4850%

25▲32Christiansburg, VAVA22,4421,524+32%

26▲26Front Royal, VAVA15,7221,530+16%

27▲29Woodstock, VAVA6,0021,575+52%

28▲23Orange, VAVA5,3651,596+30%

29▲25Waynesboro, VAVA23,9511,600+23%

30▲30Lynchburg, VAVA81,3471,661+25%

31▲35Williamsburg, VAVA15,8611,775+32%

32▲36Salem, VAVA25,8161,779+4%

33▲30Radford, VAVA17,2431,782+9%

34▲33Strasburg, VAVA7,3801,813+84%

35▲39Virginia Beach, VAVA453,7371,854+7%

36▲48Hopewell, VAVA23,2612,247+4%

37▲50Blacksburg, VAVA45,1042,278+14%

38▲52Roanoke, VAVA99,1112,331+4%

39▲49Warrenton, VAVA10,2132,332+53%

40▲52Colonial Heights, VAVA18,7382,492+11%

41▲59Vinton, VAVA7,9672,562+2%

42▲60Purcellville, VAVA8,8902,626+148%

43▲63Newport News, VAVA183,2302,656+2%

44▲60Hampton, VAVA137,3152,668−6%

45▲56Bridgewater, VAVA6,9242,747+33%

46▲64Portsmouth, VAVA96,7772,906−4%

47▲58Fredericksburg, VAVA30,3932,908+58%

48▲55Culpeper, VAVA22,0742,926+128%

49▲63Harrisonburg, VAVA50,8392,933+26%

50▲67Winchester, VAVA28,2723,075+20%

51▲58Lexington, VAVA7,7693,109+13%

52▲84Vienna, VAVA16,6913,791+15%

53▲87Richmond, VAVA237,2573,959+20%

54▲88Leesburg, VAVA49,9173,966+76%

55▲79Dumfries, VAVA6,4054,173+30%

56▲87Fairfax, VAVA26,7724,290+25%

57▲104Charlottesville, VAVA44,3884,333−1%

58▲101Norfolk, VAVA231,0134,336−1%

59▲96Manassas, VAVA44,3324,504+26%

60▲118Manassas Park, VAVA16,5605,458+61%

61▲118Herndon, VAVA25,5065,951+18%

62▲128Falls Church, VAVA15,1597,409+46%

63▲133Alexandria, VAVA160,66210,757+25%

SHOWING 1–63 OF 63

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES