Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Virginia
Counties in Virginia by population density
Alexandria city had the highest population density of 133 counties in 2024, at 4,119.9 inhabitants per km². Highland County had the lowest, at 2.2 inhabitants per km². The median was 41.9 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Virginia was 86.3 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Alexandria city Alexandria city: 4,119.9 inhabitants per km² 4,119.9 Arlington County Arlington County: 3,559.7 inhabitants per km² 3,559.7 Falls Church city Falls Church city: 2,838.7 inhabitants per km² 2,838.7 Manassas Park city Manassas Park city: 2,096.7 inhabitants per km² 2,096.7 Manassas city Manassas city: 1,727.4 inhabitants per km² 1,727.4 Charlottesville city Charlottesville city: 1,681.1 inhabitants per km² 1,681.1 Norfolk city Norfolk city: 1,674.9 inhabitants per km² 1,674.9 Fairfax city Fairfax city: 1,610.9 inhabitants per km² 1,610.9 Richmond city Richmond city: 1,512.9 inhabitants per km² 1,512.9 Lexington city Lexington city: 1,189.7 inhabitants per km² 1,189.7 Winchester city Winchester city: 1,179.4 inhabitants per km² 1,179.4 Fairfax County Fairfax County: 1,145.2 inhabitants per km² 1,145.2 Harrisonburg city Harrisonburg city: 1,131.3 inhabitants per km² 1,131.3 Portsmouth city Portsmouth city: 1,122.8 inhabitants per km² 1,122.8 Fredericksburg city Fredericksburg city: 1,107.8 inhabitants per km² 1,107.8 Hampton city Hampton city: 1,030.8 inhabitants per km² 1,030.8 Newport News city Newport News city: 1,026.3 inhabitants per km² 1,026.3 Colonial Heights city Colonial Heights city: 956.1 inhabitants per km² 956.1 Roanoke city Roanoke city: 896.1 inhabitants per km² 896.1 Hopewell city Hopewell city: 860 inhabitants per km² 860 Virginia Beach city Virginia Beach city: 715.9 inhabitants per km² 715.9 Williamsburg city Williamsburg city: 688.7 inhabitants per km² 688.7 Radford city Radford city: 687.9 inhabitants per km² 687.9 Salem city Salem city: 684.5 inhabitants per km² 684.5 Lynchburg city Lynchburg city: 633.9 inhabitants per km² 633.9 Waynesboro city Waynesboro city: 608 inhabitants per km² 608 Petersburg city Petersburg city: 578.3 inhabitants per km² 578.3 Prince William County Prince William County: 573.9 inhabitants per km² 573.9 Henrico County Henrico County: 561.8 inhabitants per km² 561.8 Staunton city Staunton city: 509 inhabitants per km² 509 Bristol city Bristol city: 493.5 inhabitants per km² 493.5 Martinsville city Martinsville city: 486 inhabitants per km² 486 Covington city Covington city: 401.6 inhabitants per km² 401.6 Buena Vista city Buena Vista city: 396.5 inhabitants per km² 396.5 Franklin city Franklin city: 392 inhabitants per km² 392 Danville city Danville city: 378.5 inhabitants per km² 378.5 Chesterfield County Chesterfield County: 356.7 inhabitants per km² 356.7 Loudoun County Loudoun County: 332.2 inhabitants per km² 332.2 Poquoson city Poquoson city: 323.4 inhabitants per km² 323.4 Emporia city Emporia city: 315.1 inhabitants per km² 315.1 inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2026-10-09. Full ranking Rank Counties 2024inhabitants per km² Change on 2023 1 Alexandria city 4,119.9 +2.3% 2 Arlington County 3,559.7 +2.3% 3 Falls Church city 2,838.7 +1.6% 4 Manassas Park city 2,096.7 +0.7% 5 Manassas city 1,727.4 +2% 6 Charlottesville city 1,681.1 -0.5% 7 Norfolk city 1,674.9 -0.8% 8 Fairfax city 1,610.9 +3.9% 9 Richmond city 1,512.9 +1.7% 10 Lexington city 1,189.7 +2.3% 11 Winchester city 1,179.4 +0.8% 12 Fairfax County 1,145.2 +1.4% 13 Harrisonburg city 1,131.3 -0.4% 14 Portsmouth city 1,122.8 -0.2% 15 Fredericksburg city 1,107.8 +2.8% 16 Hampton city 1,030.8 +0.3% 17 Newport News city 1,026.3 0% 18 Colonial Heights city 956.1 +1.1% 19 Roanoke city 896.1 +1% 20 Hopewell city 860 +0.7% 21 Virginia Beach city 715.9 +0.1% 22 Williamsburg city 688.7 -0.6% 23 Radford city 687.9 +1.6% 24 Salem city 684.5 +0.6% 25 Lynchburg city 633.9 +0.7% 26 Waynesboro city 608 +1.9% 27 Petersburg city 578.3 +2.1% 28 Prince William County 573.9 +1.4% 29 Henrico County 561.8 +1.2% 30 Staunton city 509 +1.6% 31 Bristol city 493.5 -1.5% 32 Martinsville city 486 +0.5% 33 Covington city 401.6 +1.6% 34 Buena Vista city 396.5 +0.5% 35 Franklin city 392 +1% 36 Danville city 378.5 -0.2% 37 Chesterfield County 356.7 +1.6% 38 Loudoun County 332.2 +1.6% 39 Poquoson city 323.4 +2.1% 40 Emporia city 315.1 -1.3% 41 Galax city 314.1 -1.1% 42 Chesapeake city 290.6 +0.4% 43 York County 263.1 +0.4% 44 Stafford County 242.7 +1.8% 45 James City County 224.9 +0.6% 46 Norton city 181.6 0% 47 Roanoke County 150.1 +0.2% 48 Spotsylvania County 146.5 +1.8% 49 Suffolk city 99.6 +2.1% 50 Montgomery County 98.2 -0.3% 51 Hanover County 95.4 +1.1% 52 Frederick County 91.8 +2% 53 Warren County 76.4 +1.2% 54 Gloucester County 71 +0.1% 55 Prince George County 63.7 +1.5% 56 Albemarle County 62.9 +1.4% 57 King George County 62.1 +1.6% 58 Culpeper County 57.8 +2.7% 59 Greene County 53.7 +1.6% 60 Isle of Wight County 50 +0.6% 61 Henry County 50 -0.4% 62 New Kent County 50 +3.9% 63 Powhatan County 48 +0.8% 64 Fauquier County 45.2 +0.8% 65 Orange County 44.4 +1.6% 66 Campbell County 42.6 +0.5% 67 Bedford County 41.9 +0.9% 68 Pulaski County 40.5 -0.2% 69 Rockingham County 40.1 +1.6% 70 Fluvanna County 38.8 +1% 71 Mathews County 38.6 +0.3% 72 Goochland County 38.6 +3.6% 73 Washington County 37.2 +0.2% 74 Shenandoah County 34.6 +0.6% 75 Clarke County 34.3 +1.5% 76 Wise County 33.5 -0.5% 77 Louisa County 32.9 +2.8% 78 Westmoreland County 32.6 +1.9% 79 Middlesex County 32.4 +0.1% 80 Lancaster County 31.8 +0.8% 81 Augusta County 31.4 +0.6% 82 Franklin County 31.1 +0.2% 83 Page County 29.5 +0.1% 84 Tazewell County 29 -0.7% 85 Accomack County 29 +0.7% 86 King William County 27.2 +1.2% 87 Amherst County 25.8 +0.3% 88 Northumberland County 25 0% 89 Smyth County 24.9 -0.1% 90 Prince Edward County 24.6 +1.3% 91 Caroline County 24.6 +2.6% 92 Botetourt County 24.3 -0.2% 93 Carroll County 23.8 0% 94 Pittsylvania County 23.7 -0.2% 95 Wythe County 23.4 -0.4% 96 Dinwiddie County 22.1 +1.1% 97 Northampton County 21.9 -0.2% 98 Russell County 20.7 -0.3% 99 Appomattox County 19.6 +0.9% 100 Nottoway County 19.4 +0.7% 101 Lee County 19.3 0% 102 Mecklenburg County 19 +0.7% 103 Richmond County 18.6 +0.6% 104 Giles County 18 +0.7% 105 Madison County 17.1 +0.8% 106 Essex County 16 +0.8% 107 Floyd County 15.9 0% 108 Halifax County 15.8 +0.3% 109 Dickenson County 15.6 -1.4% 110 Scott County 15.4 -0.1% 111 Amelia County 14.8 +0.9% 112 Greensville County 14.6 0% 113 Rockbridge County 14.5 +0.1% 114 Buchanan County 14.4 -1.4% 115 Patrick County 13.9 -0.4% 116 Charles City County 13.9 -1% 117 Grayson County 13.4 +0.5% 118 Cumberland County 13.2 +2.9% 119 Alleghany County 12.7 -0.4% 120 Nelson County 12.2 +1.1% 121 Southampton County 11.6 -0.2% 122 Buckingham County 11.4 +0.7% 123 Lunenburg County 10.8 +0.2% 124 Rappahannock County 10.8 -0.1% 125 Brunswick County 10.7 -0.1% 126 Charlotte County 9.2 -0.7% 127 Surry County 9.1 0% 128 Sussex County 8.5 -0.6% 129 King and Queen County 8.2 -0.2% 130 Bland County 6.7 -0.7% 131 Craig County 5.7 0% 132 Bath County 3 -0.1% 133 Highland County 2.2 -0.4%
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}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=population_density&level=province&within=Virginia&limit=10Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.
Questions Which county has the highest population density? Alexandria city, with 4,119.9 inhabitants per km² in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest population density? Highland County, with 2.2 inhabitants per km² in 2024.
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 