Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Virginia
Counties in Virginia by population density
Alexandria city had the highest population density of 133 counties in 2021, at 4,010 inhabitants per km². Highland County had the lowest, at 2.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 40.8 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Virginia was 84.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Alexandria city Alexandria city: 4,010 inhabitants per km² 4,010 Arlington County Arlington County: 3,467.6 inhabitants per km² 3,467.6 Falls Church city Falls Church city: 2,738.9 inhabitants per km² 2,738.9 Manassas Park city Manassas Park city: 2,181.4 inhabitants per km² 2,181.4 Charlottesville city Charlottesville city: 1,723.1 inhabitants per km² 1,723.1 Norfolk city Norfolk city: 1,703.8 inhabitants per km² 1,703.8 Manassas city Manassas city: 1,678 inhabitants per km² 1,678 Fairfax city Fairfax city: 1,507.2 inhabitants per km² 1,507.2 Richmond city Richmond city: 1,464.1 inhabitants per km² 1,464.1 Winchester city Winchester city: 1,179.7 inhabitants per km² 1,179.7 Lexington city Lexington city: 1,150.5 inhabitants per km² 1,150.5 Harrisonburg city Harrisonburg city: 1,145.9 inhabitants per km² 1,145.9 Portsmouth city Portsmouth city: 1,134.3 inhabitants per km² 1,134.3 Fairfax County Fairfax County: 1,128.2 inhabitants per km² 1,128.2 Fredericksburg city Fredericksburg city: 1,051.1 inhabitants per km² 1,051.1 Hampton city Hampton city: 1,033.6 inhabitants per km² 1,033.6 Newport News city Newport News city: 1,033.4 inhabitants per km² 1,033.4 Colonial Heights city Colonial Heights city: 934.5 inhabitants per km² 934.5 Roanoke city Roanoke city: 896.8 inhabitants per km² 896.8 Hopewell city Hopewell city: 860.7 inhabitants per km² 860.7 Virginia Beach city Virginia Beach city: 723.6 inhabitants per km² 723.6 Salem city Salem city: 676.2 inhabitants per km² 676.2 Williamsburg city Williamsburg city: 667.8 inhabitants per km² 667.8 Radford city Radford city: 657.9 inhabitants per km² 657.9 Lynchburg city Lynchburg city: 624.9 inhabitants per km² 624.9 Waynesboro city Waynesboro city: 583.3 inhabitants per km² 583.3 Petersburg city Petersburg city: 568.3 inhabitants per km² 568.3 Prince William County Prince William County: 559.1 inhabitants per km² 559.1 Henrico County Henrico County: 552.8 inhabitants per km² 552.8 Bristol city Bristol city: 512.8 inhabitants per km² 512.8 Staunton city Staunton city: 498.3 inhabitants per km² 498.3 Martinsville city Martinsville city: 477 inhabitants per km² 477 Covington city Covington city: 403.8 inhabitants per km² 403.8 Buena Vista city Buena Vista city: 396.8 inhabitants per km² 396.8 Danville city Danville city: 381.4 inhabitants per km² 381.4 Franklin city Franklin city: 380.3 inhabitants per km² 380.3 Chesterfield County Chesterfield County: 338.3 inhabitants per km² 338.3 Emporia city Emporia city: 327.9 inhabitants per km² 327.9 Loudoun County Loudoun County: 321.1 inhabitants per km² 321.1 Poquoson city Poquoson city: 317.5 inhabitants per km² 317.5 inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2026-10-09. Full ranking Rank Counties 2021inhabitants per km² Change on 2020 1 Alexandria city 4,010 -2.5% 2 Arlington County 3,467.6 -2.2% 3 Falls Church city 2,738.9 -1.1% 4 Manassas Park city 2,181.4 -0.4% 5 Charlottesville city 1,723.1 -1.5% 6 Norfolk city 1,703.8 -1.2% 7 Manassas city 1,678 +0.2% 8 Fairfax city 1,507.2 +0.8% 9 Richmond city 1,464.1 +0.1% 10 Winchester city 1,179.7 +0.3% 11 Lexington city 1,150.5 +1.8% 12 Harrisonburg city 1,145.9 -0.5% 13 Portsmouth city 1,134.3 -0.2% 14 Fairfax County 1,128.2 -0.5% 15 Fredericksburg city 1,051.1 +1.6% 16 Hampton city 1,033.6 +0.4% 17 Newport News city 1,033.4 -0.7% 18 Colonial Heights city 934.5 +0.2% 19 Roanoke city 896.8 -1.1% 20 Hopewell city 860.7 +0.3% 21 Virginia Beach city 723.6 -0.2% 22 Salem city 676.2 +0.1% 23 Williamsburg city 667.8 0% 24 Radford city 657.9 +2.3% 25 Lynchburg city 624.9 +0.2% 26 Waynesboro city 583.3 +1.5% 27 Petersburg city 568.3 +0.1% 28 Prince William County 559.1 +0.5% 29 Henrico County 552.8 -0.1% 30 Bristol city 512.8 -1.3% 31 Staunton city 498.3 -0.4% 32 Martinsville city 477 +0.4% 33 Covington city 403.8 -0.5% 34 Buena Vista city 396.8 0% 35 Danville city 381.4 -0.7% 36 Franklin city 380.3 +0.1% 37 Chesterfield County 338.3 +1.6% 38 Emporia city 327.9 -1.2% 39 Loudoun County 321.1 +1.5% 40 Poquoson city 317.5 +1.3% 41 Galax city 312 -0.9% 42 Chesapeake city 287.3 +0.9% 43 York County 262.3 +1.3% 44 Stafford County 232.4 +2.4% 45 James City County 217.1 +2% 46 Norton city 187.6 -1.3% 47 Roanoke County 149.1 -0.2% 48 Spotsylvania County 138.4 +2.4% 49 Montgomery County 98.6 -0.8% 50 Suffolk city 93.3 +1.7% 51 Hanover County 92.3 +1.5% 52 Frederick County 87.8 +2.3% 53 Warren County 73.8 +0.5% 54 Gloucester County 69.5 +1.2% 55 Prince George County 62.5 -0.2% 56 Albemarle County 61.1 +1.3% 57 King George County 59.2 +2.7% 58 Culpeper County 54.8 +1.9% 59 Greene County 52 +1.9% 60 Henry County 50.8 -1.1% 61 Isle of Wight County 48.2 +1.8% 62 Powhatan County 46.4 +2.6% 63 Fauquier County 44.1 +1.5% 64 New Kent County 44 +3.6% 65 Campbell County 42.4 -0.5% 66 Orange County 42.2 +2.3% 67 Pulaski County 40.8 +0.1% 68 Bedford County 40.8 +0.9% 69 Mathews County 38.4 +0.3% 70 Rockingham County 38.4 +0.9% 71 Fluvanna County 37.5 +1.9% 72 Washington County 37 -0.3% 73 Goochland County 34.9 +2.8% 74 Wise County 34.2 -1% 75 Shenandoah County 34.1 +1.3% 76 Clarke County 32.8 +0.9% 77 Middlesex County 31.9 +1.6% 78 Lancaster County 31.7 +0.4% 79 Westmoreland County 31.6 +1.4% 80 Augusta County 31.1 +0.3% 81 Franklin County 30.8 +1% 82 Louisa County 30.4 +3.3% 83 Tazewell County 29.7 -1.1% 84 Page County 29.7 +0.6% 85 Accomack County 28.7 +0.1% 86 King William County 25.7 +1.9% 87 Amherst County 25.6 +0.3% 88 Smyth County 25.3 -0.6% 89 Northumberland County 24.3 +1.8% 90 Botetourt County 24.3 +1.1% 91 Prince Edward County 24.1 0% 92 Pittsylvania County 23.9 -0.5% 93 Carroll County 23.7 -0.1% 94 Wythe County 23.6 -0.4% 95 Caroline County 23 +1.6% 96 Northampton County 22 -1.2% 97 Dinwiddie County 21.5 +0.4% 98 Russell County 20.9 -0.7% 99 Lee County 19.5 -0.4% 100 Nottoway County 19.3 -0.4% 101 Appomattox County 19 +1.6% 102 Mecklenburg County 18.7 +0.2% 103 Richmond County 18.3 +1.8% 104 Giles County 17.9 -1.2% 105 Madison County 16.8 +0.7% 106 Dickenson County 16.2 -1.5% 107 Halifax County 16 -0.4% 108 Essex County 15.9 -0.3% 109 Floyd County 15.7 +0.3% 110 Scott County 15.5 -0.5% 111 Buchanan County 15.3 -1.8% 112 Greensville County 14.9 +0.3% 113 Rockbridge County 14.7 -0% 114 Amelia County 14.4 +0.3% 115 Patrick County 14.1 +0.4% 116 Charles City County 14 -2% 117 Grayson County 13.4 +0.4% 118 Alleghany County 13 -1.2% 119 Cumberland County 12.6 +0.4% 120 Nelson County 12.2 +0.7% 121 Southampton County 11.6 +0.4% 122 Buckingham County 11.3 +0.8% 123 Brunswick County 10.9 +0.9% 124 Rappahannock County 10.8 +1.5% 125 Lunenburg County 10.7 +0.5% 126 Charlotte County 9.3 -0.3% 127 Surry County 9 -0.2% 128 Sussex County 8.5 +0.3% 129 King and Queen County 8.2 +1.2% 130 Bland County 6.7 -1.2% 131 Craig County 5.8 +0.3% 132 Bath County 3 -2.2% 133 Highland County 2.1 0%
Other periods
About this ranking Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.
United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.
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. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.Use this data in your AI agent Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank Counties in Virginia by population density using official data, and cite the source. rank_places {"indicator":"population_density","level":"province","within":"Virginia","limit":10}
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Questions Which county has the highest population density? Alexandria city, with 4,010 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest population density? Highland County, with 2.1 inhabitants per km² 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, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.
Population density: other rankings
Counties in Virginia: more rankings 