County facts · Population growth · October 23, 2026
Fastest Growing Counties in Virginia, 2020 to 2025
Virginia's fastest growing counties by percent and by people added, April 2020 to July 2025 Census estimates, with each official parcel map.
Looking for the fastest growing counties in Virginia? From the Census Bureau's April 1, 2020 estimates base to its July 1, 2025 estimate, Virginia went from about 8,631,419 to 8,880,107 residents, a change of +248,688 (+2.9%). The fastest growing county or city by percentage was New Kent County (+22.1%), while Chesterfield County added the most people (+33,064, +9.1%).
Virginia's 38 independent cities are separate from the counties around them, and the Census Bureau counts each one as a county equivalent, so they are ranked alongside the counties here.
Every row below links to the locality's Platbookmapper page and straight to its official parcel viewer, handy if growth is why you are looking at land there.
Virginia growth at a glance
- Counties and county equivalents: 133
- Statewide, April 2020 to July 2025: +248,688 residents (+2.9%); July 2024 to July 2025 alone: +60,465 (+0.7%)
- Grew: 88 of 133 · Lost residents: 45
- Fastest growing by percent: New Kent County (+22.1%); most people added: Chesterfield County (+33,064)
- Counties and cities with more deaths than births over the period: 92 of 133
The 10 fastest growing Virginia counties and independent cities by percent
| # | County or city | Apr 2020 | Jul 2025 | Change | % change | Parcel viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Kent County | 22,942 | 28,022 | +5,080 | +22.1% | CivQuest |
| 2 | Goochland County | 24,744 | 29,187 | +4,443 | +18.0% | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| 3 | Louisa County | 37,586 | 42,924 | +5,338 | +14.2% | ArcGIS Experience Builder |
| 4 | Caroline County | 30,880 | 34,413 | +3,533 | +11.4% | CivQuest |
| 5 | King George County | 26,720 | 29,646 | +2,926 | +11.0% | ArcGIS Experience Builder |
| 6 | Spotsylvania County | 140,097 | 155,388 | +15,291 | +10.9% | county web map |
| 7 | City of Fairfax | 24,146 | 26,772 | +2,626 | +10.9% | VGIN Virginia Parcels map (Service View) |
| 8 | City of Suffolk | 94,431 | 104,699 | +10,268 | +10.9% | Spatialest |
| 9 | Orange County | 36,185 | 40,083 | +3,898 | +10.8% | ArcGIS Experience Builder |
| 10 | King William County | 17,810 | 19,617 | +1,807 | +10.1% | CivQuest |
These 10 added about 55,210 people combined. The median county or city changed by +1.8%.
The 10 counties and independent cities that added the most people
| # | County or city | People added | % change | Jul 2025 | Parcel viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chesterfield County | +33,064 | +9.1% | 397,148 | ArcGIS Experience Builder |
| 2 | Loudoun County | +28,798 | +6.8% | 449,749 | county web map |
| 3 | Prince William County | +20,761 | +4.3% | 502,966 | county web map |
| 4 | Fairfax County | +17,579 | +1.5% | 1,167,873 | county web map |
| 5 | Spotsylvania County | +15,291 | +10.9% | 155,388 | county web map |
| 6 | Stafford County | +13,866 | +8.8% | 170,803 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| 7 | City of Richmond | +10,735 | +4.7% | 237,257 | VGIN Virginia Parcels map (Service View) |
| 8 | City of Suffolk | +10,268 | +10.9% | 104,699 | Spatialest |
| 9 | Frederick County | +8,510 | +9.3% | 99,955 | county web map |
| 10 | Henrico County | +7,814 | +2.3% | 342,775 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
The top 10 account for about 58% of all the gains in the counties and independent cities that grew.
Where the new residents came from
The Census Bureau splits each change into natural change (births minus deaths), net domestic migration (moves from other parts of the US) and net international migration. Totals for April 2020 to July 2025 in the five fastest growing counties and independent cities:
| County or city | Births minus deaths | Net domestic moves | Net international moves | Total change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Kent County | +179 | +4,850 | +10 | +5,080 |
| Goochland County | −504 | +4,725 | +164 | +4,443 |
| Louisa County | −103 | +5,201 | +257 | +5,338 |
| Caroline County | +121 | +3,138 | +259 | +3,533 |
| King George County | +365 | +2,451 | +138 | +2,926 |
In all 5, moves from elsewhere in the US were the biggest source of growth. The three parts do not add up exactly to the total because the Census Bureau also carries a small residual.
The last year alone: July 2024 to July 2025
- City of Poquoson: +3.3% (+429)
- Goochland County: +3.3% (+924)
- New Kent County: +3.0% (+826)
- City of Fairfax: +2.8% (+734)
- King George County: +2.6% (+746)
4 of these 5 are also in the 2020–2025 top 10, so the growth is not a one-year blip.
Counties and independent cities losing residents
45 of Virginia's 133 counties and independent cities had fewer residents in July 2025 than in April 2020. The steepest declines:
- Buchanan County: −9.1% (−1,851, now about 18,492)
- Dickenson County: −6.3% (−892, now about 13,236)
- City of Norton: −5.9% (−219, now about 3,477)
- City of Emporia: −5.3% (−306, now about 5,447)
- City of Bristol: −4.8% (−824, now about 16,418)
What fast growth means on a parcel map
- New lots show up as plats first. When land is subdivided, the plat is recorded with the county and the parcel layer catches up on its own schedule, so a brand-new lot may not appear on the map for a while. Check the recorder's recent plats if a parcel looks missing.
- Parcel numbers change after splits. A tract that was one parcel last year can be several today. Search by owner name or address as well as by an old parcel number.
- City limits move. Growing cities annex land, which changes who handles zoning and permits even though the county still keeps the deed and the tax map.
- Percent is not the same as people. A small county can post a big percentage on a modest number of new residents, so read the people-added column too.
Related guides
- Largest counties in Virginia
- Virginia county GIS websites by viewer
- Virginia plat maps
- Virginia landowner maps for hunting
- Fastest growing counties in the US
- US counties losing population
More: All Virginia counties and cities on Platbookmapper
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals, Vintage 2025 (April 1, 2020 estimates base and July 1, 2020–2025 estimates, with components of change). Percent change is from the April 1, 2020 estimates base to the July 1, 2025 estimate.
- Platbookmapper county GIS directory (live data file behind our county pages, pulled October 23, 2026) for each official parcel viewer.