Data / Rankings / Households / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by households

Fairfax County had the highest households of 133 counties in 2021, at 408,673. Highland County had the lowest, at 987. The median was 9,979 and the figure for Virginia was 3.25 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest408,673Fairfax County
Lowest987Highland County
Median9,979133 counties
Virginia3,248,528History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 14,152 countAlbemarle County: 43,066 countAlleghany County: 6,405 countAmelia County: 5,190 countAmherst County: 12,538 countAppomattox County: 6,187 countArlington County: 109,528 countAugusta County: 29,880 countBath County: 1,823 countBedford County: 32,269 countBland County: 2,260 countBotetourt County: 13,076 countBrunswick County: 5,905 countBuchanan County: 7,440 countBuckingham County: 5,724 countCampbell County: 22,243 countCaroline County: 11,000 countCarroll County: 12,127 countCharles City County: 2,932 countCharlotte County: 4,606 countChesterfield County: 131,350 countClarke County: 5,692 countCraig County: 1,941 countCulpeper County: 17,692 countCumberland County: 3,990 countDickenson County: 5,573 countDinwiddie County: 10,268 countEssex County: 4,299 countFairfax County: 408,673 countFauquier County: 25,472 countFloyd County: 6,695 countFluvanna County: 9,979 countFranklin County: 22,033 countFrederick County: 32,723 countGiles County: 6,824 countGloucester County: 14,882 countGoochland County: 9,454 countGrayson County: 6,112 countGreene County: 7,533 countGreensville County: 3,183 countHalifax County: 13,506 countHanover County: 40,310 countHenrico County: 132,465 countHenry County: 20,516 countHighland County: 987 countIsle of Wight County: 15,063 countJames City County: 29,748 countKing and Queen County: 2,803 countKing George County: 9,445 countKing William County: 6,667 countLancaster County: 5,197 countLee County: 8,244 countLoudoun County: 135,690 countLouisa County: 14,192 countLunenburg County: 4,304 countMadison County: 5,175 countMathews County: 3,558 countMecklenburg County: 12,655 countMiddlesex County: 4,579 countMontgomery County: 35,533 countNelson County: 6,149 countNew Kent County: 8,306 countNorthampton County: 5,292 countNorthumberland County: 5,127 countNottoway County: 5,309 countOrange County: 13,970 countPage County: 9,355 countPatrick County: 7,732 countPittsylvania County: 24,663 countPowhatan County: 10,722 countPrince Edward County: 7,113 countPrince George County: 12,492 countPrince William County: 150,488 countPulaski County: 14,534 countRappahannock County: 2,773 countRichmond County: 2,811 countRoanoke County: 39,087 countRockbridge County: 9,045 countRockingham County: 31,189 countRussell County: 10,355 countScott County: 8,612 countShenandoah County: 17,487 countSmyth County: 12,607 countSouthampton County: 6,661 countSpotsylvania County: 47,944 countStafford County: 49,469 countSurry County: 2,720 countSussex County: 3,656 countTazewell County: 15,759 countWarren County: 15,082 countWashington County: 21,845 countWestmoreland County: 7,873 countWise County: 14,025 countWythe County: 12,125 countYork County: 25,389 countAlexandria city: 74,224 countBristol city: 7,347 countBuena Vista city: 2,581 countCharlottesville city: 19,312 countChesapeake city: 89,413 countColonial Heights city: 7,465 countCovington city: 2,547 countDanville city: 18,590 countEmporia city: 2,240 countFairfax city: 9,090 countFalls Church city: 5,630 countFranklin city: 3,474 countFredericksburg city: 11,198 countGalax city: 2,780 countHampton city: 57,116 countHarrisonburg city: 17,102 countHopewell city: 9,269 countLexington city: 2,005 countLynchburg city: 28,939 countManassas city: 13,562 countManassas Park city: 5,155 countMartinsville city: 5,656 countNewport News city: 74,922 countNorfolk city: 92,877 countNorton city: 1,540 countPetersburg city: 14,464 countPoquoson city: 4,617 countPortsmouth city: 38,553 countRadford city: 5,545 countRichmond city: 98,821 countRoanoke city: 42,766 countSalem city: 9,971 countStaunton city: 11,125 countSuffolk city: 35,249 countVirginia Beach city: 177,046 countWaynesboro city: 9,419 countWilliamsburg city: 4,778 countWinchester city: 11,018 count
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 7,000
  • 7,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 15K
  • 15K to 33K
  • 33K and over
count, 2021. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Fairfax County: 408,673 countFairfax County408,673Virginia Beach city: 177,046 countVirginia Beach city177,046Prince William County: 150,488 countPrince William County150,488Loudoun County: 135,690 countLoudoun County135,690Henrico County: 132,465 countHenrico County132,465Chesterfield County: 131,350 countChesterfield County131,350Arlington County: 109,528 countArlington County109,528Richmond city: 98,821 countRichmond city98,821Norfolk city: 92,877 countNorfolk city92,877Chesapeake city: 89,413 countChesapeake city89,413Newport News city: 74,922 countNewport News city74,922Alexandria city: 74,224 countAlexandria city74,224Hampton city: 57,116 countHampton city57,116Stafford County: 49,469 countStafford County49,469Spotsylvania County: 47,944 countSpotsylvania County47,944Albemarle County: 43,066 countAlbemarle County43,066Roanoke city: 42,766 countRoanoke city42,766Hanover County: 40,310 countHanover County40,310Roanoke County: 39,087 countRoanoke County39,087Portsmouth city: 38,553 countPortsmouth city38,553Montgomery County: 35,533 countMontgomery County35,533Suffolk city: 35,249 countSuffolk city35,249Frederick County: 32,723 countFrederick County32,723Bedford County: 32,269 countBedford County32,269Rockingham County: 31,189 countRockingham County31,189Augusta County: 29,880 countAugusta County29,880James City County: 29,748 countJames City County29,748Lynchburg city: 28,939 countLynchburg city28,939Fauquier County: 25,472 countFauquier County25,472York County: 25,389 countYork County25,389Pittsylvania County: 24,663 countPittsylvania County24,663Campbell County: 22,243 countCampbell County22,243Franklin County: 22,033 countFranklin County22,033Washington County: 21,845 countWashington County21,845Henry County: 20,516 countHenry County20,516Charlottesville city: 19,312 countCharlottesville city19,312Danville city: 18,590 countDanville city18,590Culpeper County: 17,692 countCulpeper County17,692Shenandoah County: 17,487 countShenandoah County17,487Harrisonburg city: 17,102 countHarrisonburg city17,102Fairfax County: 408,673 countFairfax County408,673Virginia Beach city: 177,046 countVirginia Beach city177,046Prince William County: 150,488 countPrince William County150,488Loudoun County: 135,690 countLoudoun County135,690Henrico County: 132,465 countHenrico County132,465Chesterfield County: 131,350 countChesterfield County131,350Arlington County: 109,528 countArlington County109,528Richmond city: 98,821 countRichmond city98,821Norfolk city: 92,877 countNorfolk city92,877Chesapeake city: 89,413 countChesapeake city89,413Newport News city: 74,922 countNewport News city74,922Alexandria city: 74,224 countAlexandria city74,224Hampton city: 57,116 countHampton city57,116Stafford County: 49,469 countStafford County49,469Spotsylvania County: 47,944 countSpotsylvania County47,944Albemarle County: 43,066 countAlbemarle County43,066Roanoke city: 42,766 countRoanoke city42,766Hanover County: 40,310 countHanover County40,310Roanoke County: 39,087 countRoanoke County39,087Portsmouth city: 38,553 countPortsmouth city38,553Montgomery County: 35,533 countMontgomery County35,533Suffolk city: 35,249 countSuffolk city35,249Frederick County: 32,723 countFrederick County32,723Bedford County: 32,269 countBedford County32,269Rockingham County: 31,189 countRockingham County31,189Augusta County: 29,880 countAugusta County29,880James City County: 29,748 countJames City County29,748Lynchburg city: 28,939 countLynchburg city28,939Fauquier County: 25,472 countFauquier County25,472York County: 25,389 countYork County25,389Pittsylvania County: 24,663 countPittsylvania County24,663Campbell County: 22,243 countCampbell County22,243Franklin County: 22,033 countFranklin County22,033Washington County: 21,845 countWashington County21,845Henry County: 20,516 countHenry County20,516Charlottesville city: 19,312 countCharlottesville city19,312Danville city: 18,590 countDanville city18,590Culpeper County: 17,692 countCulpeper County17,692Shenandoah County: 17,487 countShenandoah County17,487Harrisonburg city: 17,102 countHarrisonburg city17,102
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
count
1Fairfax County408,673
2Virginia Beach city177,046
3Prince William County150,488
4Loudoun County135,690
5Henrico County132,465
6Chesterfield County131,350
7Arlington County109,528
8Richmond city98,821
9Norfolk city92,877
10Chesapeake city89,413
11Newport News city74,922
12Alexandria city74,224
13Hampton city57,116
14Stafford County49,469
15Spotsylvania County47,944
16Albemarle County43,066
17Roanoke city42,766
18Hanover County40,310
19Roanoke County39,087
20Portsmouth city38,553
21Montgomery County35,533
22Suffolk city35,249
23Frederick County32,723
24Bedford County32,269
25Rockingham County31,189
26Augusta County29,880
27James City County29,748
28Lynchburg city28,939
29Fauquier County25,472
30York County25,389
31Pittsylvania County24,663
32Campbell County22,243
33Franklin County22,033
34Washington County21,845
35Henry County20,516
36Charlottesville city19,312
37Danville city18,590
38Culpeper County17,692
39Shenandoah County17,487
40Harrisonburg city17,102
41Tazewell County15,759
42Warren County15,082
43Isle of Wight County15,063
44Gloucester County14,882
45Pulaski County14,534
46Petersburg city14,464
47Louisa County14,192
48Accomack County14,152
49Wise County14,025
50Orange County13,970
51Manassas city13,562
52Halifax County13,506
53Botetourt County13,076
54Mecklenburg County12,655
55Smyth County12,607
56Amherst County12,538
57Prince George County12,492
58Carroll County12,127
59Wythe County12,125
60Fredericksburg city11,198
61Staunton city11,125
62Winchester city11,018
63Caroline County11,000
64Powhatan County10,722
65Russell County10,355
66Dinwiddie County10,268
67Fluvanna County9,979
68Salem city9,971
69Goochland County9,454
70King George County9,445
71Waynesboro city9,419
72Page County9,355
73Hopewell city9,269
74Fairfax city9,090
75Rockbridge County9,045
76Scott County8,612
77New Kent County8,306
78Lee County8,244
79Westmoreland County7,873
80Patrick County7,732
81Greene County7,533
82Colonial Heights city7,465
83Buchanan County7,440
84Bristol city7,347
85Prince Edward County7,113
86Giles County6,824
87Floyd County6,695
88King William County6,667
89Southampton County6,661
90Alleghany County6,405
91Appomattox County6,187
92Nelson County6,149
93Grayson County6,112
94Brunswick County5,905
95Buckingham County5,724
96Clarke County5,692
97Martinsville city5,656
98Falls Church city5,630
99Dickenson County5,573
100Radford city5,545
101Nottoway County5,309
102Northampton County5,292
103Lancaster County5,197
104Amelia County5,190
105Madison County5,175
106Manassas Park city5,155
107Northumberland County5,127
108Williamsburg city4,778
109Poquoson city4,617
110Charlotte County4,606
111Middlesex County4,579
112Lunenburg County4,304
113Essex County4,299
114Cumberland County3,990
115Sussex County3,656
116Mathews County3,558
117Franklin city3,474
118Greensville County3,183
119Charles City County2,932
120Richmond County2,811
121King and Queen County2,803
122Galax city2,780
123Rappahannock County2,773
124Surry County2,720
125Buena Vista city2,581
126Covington city2,547
127Bland County2,260
128Emporia city2,240
129Lexington city2,005
130Craig County1,941
131Bath County1,823
132Norton city1,540
133Highland County987

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of households, which equals the number of occupied housing units. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

People living in group quarters, such as college dormitories, nursing homes and prisons, are not in households.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households) (Counties in Virginia by households, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), Counties in Virginia by households, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/virginia-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Counties in Virginia by households, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/virginia-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), Counties in Virginia by households, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households): Counties in Virginia by households, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/virginia-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households): Counties in Virginia by households, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/virginia-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest households?

Fairfax County, with 408,673 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest households?

Highland County, with 987 in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Households: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings