Fastest-shrinking (2019–2023) in Virginia

Virginia counties and cities ranked by population change.

This page ranks the counties and cities of Virginia by population change — which have the steepest population decline since 2019, according to the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Among counties, Buchanan County leads at -8.9%.

Among cities & places, Thynedale leads at -100.0%.

Counties

Top 100.

#	Name	Population change 2019–2023
1	Buchanan County	-8.9%
2	Norton city	-8.8%
3	Lee County	-8.0%
4	Wise County	-7.2%
5	Radford city	-6.7%
6	Dickenson County	-5.7%
7	Russell County	-5.5%
8	King and Queen County	-5.2%
9	Sussex County	-5.1%
10	Charlotte County	-4.7%
11	Charles City County	-4.7%
12	Craig County	-4.5%
13	Bath County	-4.3%
14	Prince Edward County	-4.2%
15	Tazewell County	-4.0%
16	Brunswick County	-3.9%
17	Norfolk city	-3.9%
18	Smyth County	-3.8%
19	Essex County	-3.6%
20	Harrisonburg city	-3.3%
21	Mathews County	-3.1%
22	Bland County	-2.8%
23	Grayson County	-2.7%
24	Charlottesville city	-2.6%
25	Lunenburg County	-2.4%
26	Franklin County	-2.2%
27	Wythe County	-2.2%
28	Carroll County	-2.2%
29	Halifax County	-2.1%
30	Greensville County	-1.9%
31	Henry County	-1.8%
32	Scott County	-1.8%
33	Pittsylvania County	-1.8%
34	Lynchburg city	-1.6%
35	Dinwiddie County	-1.4%
36	Alleghany County	-1.3%
37	Amherst County	-1.2%
38	Pulaski County	-1.2%
39	Mecklenburg County	-1.0%
40	Giles County	-1.0%
41	Floyd County	-0.9%
42	Northumberland County	-0.9%
43	Buckingham County	-0.8%
44	Fredericksburg city	-0.8%
45	Cumberland County	-0.8%
46	Patrick County	-0.8%
47	Roanoke city	-0.6%
48	Alexandria city	-0.5%
49	Manassas Park city	-0.4%
50	Nelson County	-0.4%
51	Washington County	-0.3%
52	Page County	-0.2%
53	Fairfax County	-0.1%
54	Rockbridge County	+0.0%
55	Winchester city	+0.3%
56	Campbell County	+0.3%
57	Rappahannock County	+0.4%
58	Richmond city	+0.4%
59	Surry County	+0.4%
60	Southampton County	+0.6%
61	Salem city	+0.6%
62	Bristol city	+0.7%
63	Franklin city	+0.8%
64	Arlington County	+0.9%
65	Middlesex County	+0.9%
66	Montgomery County	+1.0%
67	Nottoway County	+1.1%
68	Covington city	+1.3%
69	Lancaster County	+1.4%
70	Virginia Beach city	+1.5%
71	Botetourt County	+1.6%
72	Hampton city	+1.7%
73	Richmond County	+1.8%
74	Northampton County	+1.9%
75	Waynesboro city	+2.0%
76	Buena Vista city	+2.0%
77	Accomack County	+2.0%
78	Henrico County	+2.1%
79	Hopewell city	+2.2%
80	Portsmouth city	+2.3%
81	Bedford County	+2.4%
82	Lexington city	+2.5%
83	Highland County	+2.8%
84	Galax city	+2.8%
85	Newport News city	+2.8%
86	Danville city	+2.8%
87	Amelia County	+3.0%
88	Roanoke County	+3.2%
89	Shenandoah County	+3.3%
90	Falls Church city	+3.3%
91	Orange County	+3.3%
92	Augusta County	+3.5%
93	Emporia city	+3.5%
94	Manassas city	+3.6%
95	Caroline County	+3.8%
96	York County	+3.8%
97	Poquoson city	+3.9%
98	Fairfax city	+4.0%
99	Warren County	+4.1%
100	Williamsburg city	+4.3%

Cities & places

Top 100.

#	Name	Population change 2019–2023
1	Thynedale	-100.0%
2	Lunenburg	-92.1%
3	Sanford	-89.7%
4	Tasley	-84.8%
5	Boston	-83.2%
6	Hanover	-76.7%
7	Palmyra	-75.7%
8	Hiwassee	-73.2%
9	Nathalie	-73.1%
10	Bayside	-71.3%
11	King and Queen Court House	-70.5%
12	Columbia	-69.8%
13	Whitesville	-69.8%
14	Sussex	-69.1%
15	Makemie Park	-69.0%
16	Ebony	-68.5%
17	Churchville	-63.2%
18	Mappsburg	-63.1%
19	Scottsburg	-62.0%
20	Augusta Springs	-61.9%
21	Lancaster	-61.4%
22	Harborton	-60.6%
23	King William	-58.5%
24	Fairview Beach	-57.4%
25	Port Royal	-57.1%
26	Sherando	-56.8%
27	Eastville	-54.5%
28	Dryden	-53.6%
29	Tangier	-52.6%
30	Esmont	-50.1%
31	Big Island	-49.3%
32	Surry	-47.3%
33	Selma	-47.1%
34	Skyland Estates	-46.8%
35	New River	-46.4%
36	Templeton	-46.2%
37	Ivor	-45.6%
38	McMullin	-45.0%
39	Calverton	-44.9%
40	Scotland	-44.2%
41	The Plains	-44.1%
42	Allisonia	-44.0%
43	Atlantic	-43.6%
44	Yorktown	-42.6%
45	Washington	-40.8%
46	Charles City	-40.0%
47	Fries	-39.9%
48	Montvale	-37.7%
49	Castlewood	-37.3%
50	Southern Gateway	-36.8%
51	New Castle	-36.7%
52	Dendron	-36.6%
53	Adwolf	-36.4%
54	Cana	-36.0%
55	Nelsonia	-35.5%
56	Boykins	-35.3%
57	Warfield	-35.0%
58	Henry Fork	-34.9%
59	Metompkin	-34.5%
60	Oak Hall	-34.0%
61	Passapatanzy	-33.7%
62	Sugar Grove	-33.5%
63	Hallwood	-31.0%
64	Plum Creek	-29.8%
65	Ferrum	-29.8%
66	Floyd	-29.6%
67	Free Union	-29.1%
68	Alberta	-27.6%
69	Gratton	-27.6%
70	Flint Hill	-27.1%
71	Springville	-26.7%
72	Cumberland	-26.5%
73	Lawrenceville	-26.2%
74	Keokee	-26.1%
75	Glen Lyn	-25.8%
76	Pocahontas	-25.3%
77	Keysville	-23.7%
78	Lyndhurst	-23.0%
79	Amherst	-22.3%
80	Chester Gap	-21.7%
81	Drakes Branch	-21.7%
82	Dungannon	-21.0%
83	Pastoria	-20.8%
84	Glenvar	-20.5%
85	Fort Chiswell	-19.8%
86	Duffield	-19.8%
87	Camptown	-19.2%
88	Quinby	-19.0%
89	Southside Chesconessex	-18.7%
90	Pungoteague	-18.7%
91	Deltaville	-17.9%
92	Groveton	-17.9%
93	Kings Park	-17.7%
94	Crimora	-17.4%
95	Mappsville	-17.2%
96	Shenandoah Shores	-17.2%
97	Boydton	-17.2%
98	Lincolnia	-16.8%
99	Greenville	-16.6%
100	Scottsville	-16.6%

Nationwide

Fastest-shrinking (2019–2023) in the US

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Fastest-shrinking (2019–2023) in Virginia

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