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Population Estimates for Virginia, Localities, Planning Districts, & Metropolitan Areas: Final 2006 & Provisional 2007
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MEDIA ADVISORY
January 28, 2008
Metro Areas Gain, Rural Counties Lose Population
Final 2006 and Provisional 2007 Population Estimates for Virginia
Virginia’s
population reached 7.7 million on July 1, 2007, increasing by more than
633,000 new residents since the 2000 Census. The Commonwealth has the
12th largest population in the nation. While Virginia’s population
continues to increase annually, the growth rate has declined in recent
years.
Population growth occurs partly through what
demographers call “natural increase”, when the number of births exceeds
the number of deaths. Since 2000, Virginia gained 324,000 citizens
through natural increase.
Population also changes as a result of
people moving in and out of the state. Since 2000, Virginia netted a
total of 315,000 residents from migration, split almost equally between
those moving to the Commonwealth from other states and from other
countries.
The pattern of population change in Virginia is
dramatically uneven throughout the state. A relatively small number of
very fast growing localities in and around Virginia’s three
major metropolitan areas fuel the Commonwealth’s population increases.
“Growth
in Virginia is driven by explosive expansion in Northern Virginia,”
noted Dr. Michael Spar, who produced the annual population estimates.
Loudoun County alone has experienced a population increase of 62.5%
since 2000, and accounts for one-sixth of the total population increase
for the entire Commonwealth. Other localities in Northern Virginia show
large population increases and high growth rates, as do suburban
counties around Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Hampton Roads.
Since 2000, 31 counties and cities lost population, primarily older central
cities (Richmond, Petersburg, Portsmouth, and Roanoke) and rural
localities in Southside and Southwest Virginia. While the cities
generally experience natural increase (more births than deaths),
migration out of the cities creates a population decline. Population
losses in some Southside and Southwest localities (such as Buchanan,
Dickenson, Martinsville, and Grayson) are more challenging, resulting
from both deaths outnumbering births, and out-migration.
“Virginia
is increasingly becoming an urban state. The combined population living
in Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Tidewater is now at 5.3 million, or
roughly 7 out of 10 Virginians,” noted Spar.
The
Weldon Cooper Center's population estimates are the official figures
for the Commonwealth of Virginia. They are used by various state and
local government agencies in revenue sharing, funding allocation,
planning and budgeting purposes.
| The 10 Highest & Lowest Growth Rates Since 2000 |
Loudoun
Manassas
Culpeper
Spotsylvania
Prince Wm
King George
Stafford
Fluvanna
James City
Suffolk |
62.5%
35.6%
32.8%
32.6%
32.5%
32.2%
30.2%
30.0%
28.3%
27.5% |
Buchanan
Covington
Petersburg
Danville
Highland
Martinsville
Henry
Grayson
Staunton
Dickenson |
-11.9%
-6.9%
-6.4%
-6.2%
-6.0%
-5.2%
-4.6%
-4.1%
-3.8%
-3.6% |
| The 10 Largest Population Gains & Losses Since 2000 |
Loudoun
Prince Wm
Fairfax
Chesterfield
Spotsylvania
Stafford
Henrico
Suffolk
Chesapeake
Frederick |
105,997
91,126
42,763
38,818
29,512
27,941
27,488
17,532
17,384
13,740 |
Buchanan
Danville
Henry
Richmond City
Petersburg
Portsmouth
Tazewell
Wise
Roanoke City
Staunton |
-3,206
-3,026
-2,651
-2,490
-2,152
-2,022
-1,603
-1,435
-1,407
-916 |
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