Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Virginia
Counties in Virginia by population density
Alexandria city had the highest population density of 133 counties in 2022, at 4,003.9 inhabitants per km². Highland County had the lowest, at 2.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 41.1 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Virginia was 84.9 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Alexandria city Alexandria city: 4,003.9 inhabitants per km² 4,003.9 Arlington County Arlington County: 3,467.5 inhabitants per km² 3,467.5 Falls Church city Falls Church city: 2,739.5 inhabitants per km² 2,739.5 Manassas Park city Manassas Park city: 2,122.2 inhabitants per km² 2,122.2 Charlottesville city Charlottesville city: 1,699.8 inhabitants per km² 1,699.8 Norfolk city Norfolk city: 1,688.3 inhabitants per km² 1,688.3 Manassas city Manassas city: 1,676.3 inhabitants per km² 1,676.3 Fairfax city Fairfax city: 1,525.4 inhabitants per km² 1,525.4 Richmond city Richmond city: 1,475.1 inhabitants per km² 1,475.1 Winchester city Winchester city: 1,174.4 inhabitants per km² 1,174.4 Lexington city Lexington city: 1,159.1 inhabitants per km² 1,159.1 Harrisonburg city Harrisonburg city: 1,136.1 inhabitants per km² 1,136.1 Portsmouth city Portsmouth city: 1,125.5 inhabitants per km² 1,125.5 Fairfax County Fairfax County: 1,124.5 inhabitants per km² 1,124.5 Fredericksburg city Fredericksburg city: 1,060.6 inhabitants per km² 1,060.6 Hampton city Hampton city: 1,034.5 inhabitants per km² 1,034.5 Newport News city Newport News city: 1,029.5 inhabitants per km² 1,029.5 Colonial Heights city Colonial Heights city: 936.6 inhabitants per km² 936.6 Roanoke city Roanoke city: 889.2 inhabitants per km² 889.2 Hopewell city Hopewell city: 852.3 inhabitants per km² 852.3 Virginia Beach city Virginia Beach city: 717.4 inhabitants per km² 717.4 Salem city Salem city: 683.1 inhabitants per km² 683.1 Williamsburg city Williamsburg city: 678.3 inhabitants per km² 678.3 Radford city Radford city: 666.8 inhabitants per km² 666.8 Lynchburg city Lynchburg city: 625.7 inhabitants per km² 625.7 Waynesboro city Waynesboro city: 586.7 inhabitants per km² 586.7 Petersburg city Petersburg city: 569 inhabitants per km² 569 Prince William County Prince William County: 561.5 inhabitants per km² 561.5 Henrico County Henrico County: 553.6 inhabitants per km² 553.6 Bristol city Bristol city: 507 inhabitants per km² 507 Staunton city Staunton city: 502.5 inhabitants per km² 502.5 Martinsville city Martinsville city: 481.3 inhabitants per km² 481.3 Covington city Covington city: 400.4 inhabitants per km² 400.4 Buena Vista city Buena Vista city: 393.4 inhabitants per km² 393.4 Franklin city Franklin city: 384.9 inhabitants per km² 384.9 Danville city Danville city: 379.5 inhabitants per km² 379.5 Chesterfield County Chesterfield County: 345.3 inhabitants per km² 345.3 Loudoun County Loudoun County: 323.9 inhabitants per km² 323.9 Emporia city Emporia city: 321.8 inhabitants per km² 321.8 Poquoson city Poquoson city: 317.2 inhabitants per km² 317.2 inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2026-10-09. Full ranking Rank Counties 2022inhabitants per km² Change on 2021 1 Alexandria city 4,003.9 -0.2% 2 Arlington County 3,467.5 -0% 3 Falls Church city 2,739.5 0% 4 Manassas Park city 2,122.2 -2.7% 5 Charlottesville city 1,699.8 -1.4% 6 Norfolk city 1,688.3 -0.9% 7 Manassas city 1,676.3 -0.1% 8 Fairfax city 1,525.4 +1.2% 9 Richmond city 1,475.1 +0.8% 10 Winchester city 1,174.4 -0.4% 11 Lexington city 1,159.1 +0.8% 12 Harrisonburg city 1,136.1 -0.9% 13 Portsmouth city 1,125.5 -0.8% 14 Fairfax County 1,124.5 -0.3% 15 Fredericksburg city 1,060.6 +0.9% 16 Hampton city 1,034.5 +0.1% 17 Newport News city 1,029.5 -0.4% 18 Colonial Heights city 936.6 +0.2% 19 Roanoke city 889.2 -0.9% 20 Hopewell city 852.3 -1% 21 Virginia Beach city 717.4 -0.9% 22 Salem city 683.1 +1% 23 Williamsburg city 678.3 +1.6% 24 Radford city 666.8 +1.4% 25 Lynchburg city 625.7 +0.1% 26 Waynesboro city 586.7 +0.6% 27 Petersburg city 569 +0.1% 28 Prince William County 561.5 +0.4% 29 Henrico County 553.6 +0.1% 30 Bristol city 507 -1.1% 31 Staunton city 502.5 +0.8% 32 Martinsville city 481.3 +0.9% 33 Covington city 400.4 -0.8% 34 Buena Vista city 393.4 -0.9% 35 Franklin city 384.9 +1.2% 36 Danville city 379.5 -0.5% 37 Chesterfield County 345.3 +2.1% 38 Loudoun County 323.9 +0.9% 39 Emporia city 321.8 -1.9% 40 Poquoson city 317.2 -0.1% 41 Galax city 315 +1% 42 Chesapeake city 288 +0.2% 43 York County 262.6 +0.1% 44 Stafford County 234.7 +1% 45 James City County 221 +1.8% 46 Norton city 185.6 -1.1% 47 Roanoke County 149.3 +0.1% 48 Spotsylvania County 141 +1.9% 49 Montgomery County 98.6 -0% 50 Suffolk city 95.4 +2.3% 51 Hanover County 93.3 +1% 52 Frederick County 88.6 +0.9% 53 Warren County 74.5 +1.1% 54 Gloucester County 70.1 +0.9% 55 Prince George County 62.7 +0.3% 56 Albemarle County 61.6 +0.8% 57 King George County 59.9 +1.1% 58 Culpeper County 55.3 +1% 59 Greene County 52 +0.1% 60 Henry County 50.3 -1% 61 Isle of Wight County 49.1 +1.8% 62 Powhatan County 46.9 +1.1% 63 New Kent County 45.9 +4.3% 64 Fauquier County 44.5 +0.8% 65 Orange County 43.1 +2.1% 66 Campbell County 42.2 -0.5% 67 Bedford County 41.1 +0.6% 68 Pulaski County 40.6 -0.5% 69 Rockingham County 38.8 +1.1% 70 Mathews County 38.1 -0.9% 71 Fluvanna County 38 +1.2% 72 Washington County 37.1 +0.2% 73 Goochland County 35.8 +2.6% 74 Shenandoah County 34.1 +0.1% 75 Wise County 33.8 -1% 76 Clarke County 33.6 +2.4% 77 Middlesex County 32.4 +1.6% 78 Westmoreland County 31.5 -0.4% 79 Lancaster County 31.4 -0.9% 80 Louisa County 31.2 +2.5% 81 Augusta County 31.1 +0.2% 82 Franklin County 30.8 0% 83 Page County 29.6 -0.4% 84 Tazewell County 29.5 -0.8% 85 Accomack County 28.5 -0.6% 86 King William County 26.1 +1.5% 87 Amherst County 25.7 +0.4% 88 Smyth County 25.1 -0.7% 89 Northumberland County 24.7 +1.7% 90 Botetourt County 24.3 +0.3% 91 Prince Edward County 24.1 -0.2% 92 Pittsylvania County 23.9 -0.3% 93 Carroll County 23.7 -0% 94 Wythe County 23.5 -0.2% 95 Caroline County 23.4 +1.8% 96 Northampton County 21.8 -0.9% 97 Dinwiddie County 21.6 +0.5% 98 Russell County 20.8 -0.5% 99 Lee County 19.4 -0.7% 100 Appomattox County 19.3 +1.8% 101 Nottoway County 19.3 -0.1% 102 Mecklenburg County 18.8 +0.5% 103 Richmond County 18.3 +0.1% 104 Giles County 17.8 -0.9% 105 Madison County 16.9 +0.3% 106 Dickenson County 16 -1.1% 107 Essex County 16 +0.6% 108 Halifax County 15.9 -0.6% 109 Floyd County 15.8 +0.7% 110 Scott County 15.5 +0.1% 111 Buchanan County 14.8 -2.8% 112 Greensville County 14.7 -1.8% 113 Rockbridge County 14.6 -0.3% 114 Amelia County 14.5 +0.8% 115 Patrick County 14 -0.5% 116 Charles City County 13.9 -0.5% 117 Grayson County 13.4 -0.2% 118 Alleghany County 12.8 -1.6% 119 Cumberland County 12.7 +0.4% 120 Nelson County 12 -1% 121 Southampton County 11.5 -0.7% 122 Buckingham County 11.3 +0.2% 123 Brunswick County 10.8 -0.7% 124 Rappahannock County 10.8 +0.1% 125 Lunenburg County 10.7 +0.1% 126 Charlotte County 9.3 -0.7% 127 Surry County 9 -0.4% 128 Sussex County 8.4 -1.6% 129 King and Queen County 8.2 +0.7% 130 Bland County 6.6 -0.5% 131 Craig County 5.7 -0.7% 132 Bath County 3 -0.5% 133 Highland County 2.1 +2.9%
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 4,003.9 inhabitants per km² in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest population density? Highland County, with 2.1 inhabitants per km² in 2022.
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 