Virginia’s population surpassed 8.3 million inhabitants as of July 1, 2014, according to the latest estimates by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Policy’s demographics group. Still the nation’s 12th largest state, Virginia ranked 10th in absolute population growth in 2014.
Despite the economic slowdown caused by sequestration in the past year, Northern Virginia accounted for nearly three-fifths of the state’s population growth. Numerous localities in economically depressed Southside and Southwest Virginia continued to lose population.
As seen above, the biggest gains in absolute numbers occurred in existing population centers, especially Northern Virginia with more modest growth in the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. Loudoun County led the pack over the four-year period.
In terms of percentage growth, the story was very different. Two groups fared well: older, established urban areas like Fredericksburg, Alexandria, Manassas and Charlottesville showed strong growth; and counties on the metropolitan fringe like Loudoun and New Kent. Growth rate between counties and cities, says Weldon Cooper in a press release, has established “relative parity” since 2010. That represents a marked departure from the pattern that has prevailed since World War II.
— JAB
