Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Virginia
Counties in Virginia by population density
Alexandria city had the highest population density of 133 counties in 2023, at 4,027.6 inhabitants per km². Highland County had the lowest, at 2.2 inhabitants per km². The median was 41.5 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Virginia was 85.4 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Alexandria city Alexandria city: 4,027.6 inhabitants per km² 4,027.6 Arlington County Arlington County: 3,480.7 inhabitants per km² 3,480.7 Falls Church city Falls Church city: 2,793.8 inhabitants per km² 2,793.8 Manassas Park city Manassas Park city: 2,082.4 inhabitants per km² 2,082.4 Manassas city Manassas city: 1,693.9 inhabitants per km² 1,693.9 Charlottesville city Charlottesville city: 1,689.5 inhabitants per km² 1,689.5 Norfolk city Norfolk city: 1,687.6 inhabitants per km² 1,687.6 Fairfax city Fairfax city: 1,551 inhabitants per km² 1,551 Richmond city Richmond city: 1,487.1 inhabitants per km² 1,487.1 Winchester city Winchester city: 1,170.3 inhabitants per km² 1,170.3 Lexington city Lexington city: 1,163.3 inhabitants per km² 1,163.3 Harrisonburg city Harrisonburg city: 1,135.4 inhabitants per km² 1,135.4 Fairfax County Fairfax County: 1,129.1 inhabitants per km² 1,129.1 Portsmouth city Portsmouth city: 1,125 inhabitants per km² 1,125 Fredericksburg city Fredericksburg city: 1,078.1 inhabitants per km² 1,078.1 Hampton city Hampton city: 1,028.2 inhabitants per km² 1,028.2 Newport News city Newport News city: 1,025.8 inhabitants per km² 1,025.8 Colonial Heights city Colonial Heights city: 945.2 inhabitants per km² 945.2 Roanoke city Roanoke city: 887.5 inhabitants per km² 887.5 Hopewell city Hopewell city: 854.3 inhabitants per km² 854.3 Virginia Beach city Virginia Beach city: 715.3 inhabitants per km² 715.3 Williamsburg city Williamsburg city: 693.1 inhabitants per km² 693.1 Salem city Salem city: 680.2 inhabitants per km² 680.2 Radford city Radford city: 677.1 inhabitants per km² 677.1 Lynchburg city Lynchburg city: 629.6 inhabitants per km² 629.6 Waynesboro city Waynesboro city: 596.5 inhabitants per km² 596.5 Petersburg city Petersburg city: 566.2 inhabitants per km² 566.2 Prince William County Prince William County: 565.9 inhabitants per km² 565.9 Henrico County Henrico County: 555.3 inhabitants per km² 555.3 Bristol city Bristol city: 501.1 inhabitants per km² 501.1 Staunton city Staunton city: 501.1 inhabitants per km² 501.1 Martinsville city Martinsville city: 483.7 inhabitants per km² 483.7 Covington city Covington city: 395.4 inhabitants per km² 395.4 Buena Vista city Buena Vista city: 394.5 inhabitants per km² 394.5 Franklin city Franklin city: 388.2 inhabitants per km² 388.2 Danville city Danville city: 379.4 inhabitants per km² 379.4 Chesterfield County Chesterfield County: 351.1 inhabitants per km² 351.1 Loudoun County Loudoun County: 327 inhabitants per km² 327 Emporia city Emporia city: 319.3 inhabitants per km² 319.3 Galax city Galax city: 317.7 inhabitants per km² 317.7 inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2026-10-09. Full ranking Rank Counties 2023inhabitants per km² Change on 2022 1 Alexandria city 4,027.6 +0.6% 2 Arlington County 3,480.7 +0.4% 3 Falls Church city 2,793.8 +2% 4 Manassas Park city 2,082.4 -1.9% 5 Manassas city 1,693.9 +1.1% 6 Charlottesville city 1,689.5 -0.6% 7 Norfolk city 1,687.6 -0% 8 Fairfax city 1,551 +1.7% 9 Richmond city 1,487.1 +0.8% 10 Winchester city 1,170.3 -0.4% 11 Lexington city 1,163.3 +0.4% 12 Harrisonburg city 1,135.4 -0.1% 13 Fairfax County 1,129.1 +0.4% 14 Portsmouth city 1,125 -0% 15 Fredericksburg city 1,078.1 +1.6% 16 Hampton city 1,028.2 -0.6% 17 Newport News city 1,025.8 -0.4% 18 Colonial Heights city 945.2 +0.9% 19 Roanoke city 887.5 -0.2% 20 Hopewell city 854.3 +0.2% 21 Virginia Beach city 715.3 -0.3% 22 Williamsburg city 693.1 +2.2% 23 Salem city 680.2 -0.4% 24 Radford city 677.1 +1.5% 25 Lynchburg city 629.6 +0.6% 26 Waynesboro city 596.5 +1.7% 27 Petersburg city 566.2 -0.5% 28 Prince William County 565.9 +0.8% 29 Henrico County 555.3 +0.3% 30 Bristol city 501.1 -1.2% 31 Staunton city 501.1 -0.3% 32 Martinsville city 483.7 +0.5% 33 Covington city 395.4 -1.3% 34 Buena Vista city 394.5 +0.3% 35 Franklin city 388.2 +0.9% 36 Danville city 379.4 -0% 37 Chesterfield County 351.1 +1.7% 38 Loudoun County 327 +1% 39 Emporia city 319.3 -0.8% 40 Galax city 317.7 +0.8% 41 Poquoson city 316.8 -0.1% 42 Chesapeake city 289.5 +0.5% 43 York County 261.9 -0.3% 44 Stafford County 238.4 +1.6% 45 James City County 223.5 +1.1% 46 Norton city 181.5 -2.2% 47 Roanoke County 149.8 +0.4% 48 Spotsylvania County 143.9 +2.1% 49 Montgomery County 98.4 -0.1% 50 Suffolk city 97.6 +2.3% 51 Hanover County 94.3 +1.2% 52 Frederick County 90 +1.5% 53 Warren County 75.5 +1.3% 54 Gloucester County 70.9 +1.2% 55 Prince George County 62.7 0% 56 Albemarle County 62 +0.7% 57 King George County 61.1 +2.1% 58 Culpeper County 56.3 +1.7% 59 Greene County 52.9 +1.6% 60 Henry County 50.2 -0.1% 61 Isle of Wight County 49.7 +1.2% 62 New Kent County 48.1 +4.8% 63 Powhatan County 47.6 +1.6% 64 Fauquier County 44.8 +0.8% 65 Orange County 43.7 +1.5% 66 Campbell County 42.4 +0.5% 67 Bedford County 41.5 +1.2% 68 Pulaski County 40.6 -0.1% 69 Rockingham County 39.5 +1.6% 70 Mathews County 38.5 +1.1% 71 Fluvanna County 38.4 +1.3% 72 Goochland County 37.2 +4% 73 Washington County 37.2 +0.3% 74 Shenandoah County 34.4 +0.7% 75 Clarke County 33.8 +0.6% 76 Wise County 33.7 -0.4% 77 Middlesex County 32.4 -0.3% 78 Louisa County 32 +2.6% 79 Westmoreland County 32 +1.4% 80 Lancaster County 31.5 +0.4% 81 Augusta County 31.3 +0.5% 82 Franklin County 31 +0.8% 83 Page County 29.5 -0.3% 84 Tazewell County 29.2 -0.9% 85 Accomack County 28.8 +0.9% 86 King William County 26.9 +2.9% 87 Amherst County 25.7 +0.1% 88 Northumberland County 25 +1.2% 89 Smyth County 24.9 -0.8% 90 Botetourt County 24.4 +0.1% 91 Prince Edward County 24.3 +0.8% 92 Caroline County 24 +2.4% 93 Pittsylvania County 23.8 -0.3% 94 Carroll County 23.7 +0.3% 95 Wythe County 23.5 +0.1% 96 Northampton County 22 +0.6% 97 Dinwiddie County 21.8 +1.2% 98 Russell County 20.8 +0.2% 99 Appomattox County 19.5 +0.9% 100 Lee County 19.3 -0.4% 101 Nottoway County 19.3 +0.2% 102 Mecklenburg County 18.9 +0.4% 103 Richmond County 18.5 +0.8% 104 Giles County 17.9 +0.5% 105 Madison County 17 +0.7% 106 Floyd County 15.9 +0.6% 107 Essex County 15.9 -0.4% 108 Dickenson County 15.9 -1% 109 Halifax County 15.8 -0.4% 110 Scott County 15.4 -0.5% 111 Amelia County 14.7 +1.2% 112 Greensville County 14.6 -0.4% 113 Buchanan County 14.6 -1.7% 114 Rockbridge County 14.5 -0.7% 115 Charles City County 14 +1.1% 116 Patrick County 14 -0.5% 117 Grayson County 13.3 -0.4% 118 Cumberland County 12.9 +1.6% 119 Alleghany County 12.7 -0.2% 120 Nelson County 12 -0.2% 121 Southampton County 11.6 +0.9% 122 Buckingham County 11.3 0% 123 Rappahannock County 10.8 +0.1% 124 Lunenburg County 10.8 +0.3% 125 Brunswick County 10.8 -0.4% 126 Charlotte County 9.3 -0.1% 127 Surry County 9.1 +1.4% 128 Sussex County 8.5 +1.4% 129 King and Queen County 8.3 +0.4% 130 Bland County 6.7 +1.3% 131 Craig County 5.7 -0.7% 132 Bath County 3 -0.3% 133 Highland County 2.2 +1.6%
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:
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Questions Which county has the highest population density? Alexandria city, with 4,027.6 inhabitants per km² in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest population density? Highland County, with 2.2 inhabitants per km² in 2023.
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 