Is being in an area of Virginia that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, while others want peace and quiet like in Orange and Big Stone Gap, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Virginia have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Old Dominion that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Virginia gained a net 6,268 people from other states in the year ending July 2025 — 25th in the nation for domestic migration; the full moving statistics breakdown shows who’s coming and going.
33.2% growth since 2010 · 5,187 net new residents
Located in
Culpeper County, Virginia
Culpeper is the only incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 16,379 at the 2010 census, up from 9,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
28.3% growth since 2010 · 3,245 net new residents
Located in
Falls Church city, Virginia
Falls Church is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,332. The estimated population in 2015 was 13,892. Falls Church is included in the Washington metropolitan area. Falls Church has the lowest level of poverty of any independent city or county in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
27.3% growth since 2010 · 3,603 net new residents
Located in
Manassas Park city, Virginia
Manassas Park is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,273. Manassas Park is bordered by the city of Manassas and Prince William County. Manassas Park is a part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. “A” Fort and Battery Hill Redoubt-Camp Early resides in Manassas Park.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
26.3% growth since 2010 · 1,871 net new residents
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate. Purcellville is the major population center for western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today, many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
23.5% growth since 2010 · 5,498 net new residents
Located in
Fredericksburg city, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Eastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,286, up from 19,279 at the 2000 census. The city population was estimated at 28,118 in 2015. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg with neighboring Spotsylvania County for statistical purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
20.8% growth since 2010 · 8,458 net new residents
Located in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town within and the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia. Leesburg is 33 miles west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according to the 2010 Census is 42,616. The town is also the northwestern terminus of the Dulles Greenway, a private toll road that connects to the Dulles Toll Road at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
20.2% growth since 2010 · 1,127 net new residents
Located in
Rockingham County, Virginia
Bridgewater is an incorporated town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bridgewater is also home to Bridgewater College.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
19.7% growth since 2010 · 16,252 net new residents
Located in
Suffolk city, Virginia
Suffolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2014 census, the estimated population was 86,806 It is the largest city in Virginia by area as well as the 14th largest in the country.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
19.2% growth since 2010 · 6,909 net new residents
Located in
Manassas city, Virginia
Manassas is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 37,821. The city borders Prince William County, the independent city of Manassas Park, and Fairfax County. The Bureau of Economic Analysis includes both Manassas and Manassas Park with Prince William County for statistical purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
18.6% growth since 2010 · 1,133 net new residents
Located in
Shenandoah County, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town by population in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history. The population was 6,398 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Virginia’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Virginia’s growth is happening
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Old Dominion for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (the latest available data, which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 62 Virginia cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Old Dominion.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula: [Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010].
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Virginia.
The full plate
Fastest Growing Places In Virginia For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culpeper | 20,794 | 15,607 | 33.2% | 5,187 |
| 2 | Falls Church | 14,710 | 11,465 | 28.3% | 3,245 |
| 3 | Manassas Park | 16,798 | 13,195 | 27.3% | 3,603 |
| 4 | Purcellville | 8,973 | 7,102 | 26.3% | 1,871 |
| 5 | Fredericksburg | 28,873 | 23,375 | 23.5% | 5,498 |
| 6 | Leesburg | 49,171 | 40,713 | 20.8% | 8,458 |
| 7 | Bridgewater | 6,708 | 5,581 | 20.2% | 1,127 |
| 8 | Suffolk | 98,796 | 82,544 | 19.7% | 16,252 |
| 9 | Manassas | 42,976 | 36,067 | 19.2% | 6,909 |
| 10 | Strasburg | 7,214 | 6,081 | 18.6% | 1,133 |
| 11 | Williamsburg | 15,798 | 13,421 | 17.7% | 2,377 |
| 12 | Dumfries | 5,816 | 4,947 | 17.6% | 869 |
| 13 | Woodstock | 5,871 | 4,994 | 17.6% | 877 |
| 14 | Alexandria | 156,976 | 133,647 | 17.5% | 23,329 |
| 15 | Chesapeake | 252,583 | 219,268 | 15.2% | 33,315 |
| 16 | Richmond | 229,359 | 201,828 | 13.6% | 27,531 |
| 17 | Fairfax | 25,026 | 22,058 | 13.5% | 2,968 |
| 18 | Smithfield | 8,834 | 7,869 | 12.3% | 965 |
| 19 | Christiansburg | 22,720 | 20,288 | 12.0% | 2,432 |
| 20 | Warrenton | 10,176 | 9,245 | 10.1% | 931 |
| 21 | Waynesboro | 22,841 | 20,885 | 9.4% | 1,956 |
| 22 | Staunton | 25,948 | 23,806 | 9.0% | 2,142 |
| 23 | Herndon | 24,672 | 22,726 | 8.6% | 1,946 |
| 24 | Harrisonburg | 51,392 | 47,406 | 8.4% | 3,986 |
| 25 | Lynchburg | 79,497 | 73,726 | 7.8% | 5,771 |
| 26 | Blacksburg | 45,446 | 42,149 | 7.8% | 3,297 |
| 27 | Lexington | 7,525 | 6,990 | 7.7% | 535 |
| 28 | Ashland | 7,772 | 7,225 | 7.6% | 547 |
| 29 | Winchester | 27,913 | 25,953 | 7.6% | 1,960 |
| 30 | Charlottesville | 45,437 | 42,267 | 7.5% | 3,170 |
| 31 | Orange | 5,066 | 4,723 | 7.3% | 343 |
| 32 | Vienna | 16,412 | 15,387 | 6.7% | 1,025 |
| 33 | Front Royal | 15,296 | 14,508 | 5.4% | 788 |
| 34 | Colonial Heights | 18,352 | 17,472 | 5.0% | 880 |
| 35 | Virginia Beach | 456,349 | 435,996 | 4.7% | 20,353 |
| 36 | Poquoson | 12,639 | 12,099 | 4.5% | 540 |
| 37 | Salem | 25,618 | 24,641 | 4.0% | 977 |
| 38 | Petersburg | 33,537 | 32,303 | 3.8% | 1,234 |
| 39 | Roanoke | 98,355 | 95,793 | 2.7% | 2,562 |
| 40 | Radford | 16,726 | 16,318 | 2.5% | 408 |
| 41 | Abingdon | 8,330 | 8,128 | 2.5% | 202 |
| 42 | Hopewell | 22,959 | 22,506 | 2.0% | 453 |
| 43 | Newport News | 184,216 | 181,822 | 1.3% | 2,394 |
| 44 | Wytheville | 8,202 | 8,163 | 0.5% | 39 |
| 45 | Portsmouth | 97,190 | 96,785 | 0.4% | 405 |
| 46 | Vinton | 8,056 | 8,074 | -0.2% | -18 |
| 47 | Buena Vista | 6,593 | 6,653 | -0.9% | -60 |
| 48 | Hampton | 137,557 | 139,046 | -1.1% | -1,489 |
| 49 | Martinsville | 13,658 | 14,029 | -2.6% | -371 |
| 50 | Galax | 6,726 | 6,936 | -3.0% | -210 |
| 51 | Pulaski | 8,893 | 9,180 | -3.1% | -287 |
| 52 | Franklin | 8,250 | 8,549 | -3.5% | -299 |
| 53 | Norfolk | 233,596 | 242,143 | -3.5% | -8,547 |
| 54 | Danville | 42,214 | 43,787 | -3.6% | -1,573 |
| 55 | South Boston | 7,853 | 8,202 | -4.3% | -349 |
| 56 | Emporia | 5,547 | 5,822 | -4.7% | -275 |
| 57 | Bristol | 16,849 | 17,704 | -4.8% | -855 |
| 58 | Big Stone Gap | 5,162 | 5,435 | -5.0% | -273 |
| 59 | Covington | 5,680 | 5,989 | -5.2% | -309 |
| 60 | Marion | 5,670 | 6,032 | -6.0% | -362 |
| 61 | Farmville | 7,774 | 8,417 | -7.6% | -643 |
| 62 | Richlands | 5,171 | 5,927 | -12.8% | -756 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS, 2010-current. 62 Virginia cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Virginia, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Virginia are led by Culpeper which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Virginia are Culpeper, Falls Church, Manassas Park, Purcellville, Fredericksburg, Leesburg, Bridgewater, Suffolk, Manassas, and Strasburg.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know! Not sold on Virginia? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Fastest Growing Cities In Virginia FAQs
What is the fastest-growing city in Virginia?
Culpeper is the fastest-growing city in Virginia for 2026, based on population change since 2010. Falls Church and Manassas Park are growing nearly as fast.
What are the top 10 fastest-growing cities in Virginia?
The fastest-growing cities in Virginia are Culpeper, Falls Church, Manassas Park, Purcellville, Fredericksburg, Leesburg, Bridgewater, Suffolk, Manassas, and Strasburg. We ranked all 62 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
How do you measure growth?
Growth is the percent change in population from the 2010 Census to the latest American Community Survey estimates. No projections, no vibes — just how many more people actually live there now.
What is the slowest-growing city on the list?
Richlands posts the smallest population change of the 62 Virginia cities we ranked. Slow growth is not automatically bad news, but the momentum is clearly elsewhere.
Do small towns count in this ranking?
Only places with more than 5,000 residents qualify, which keeps one new subdivision from turning a tiny town into a statistical rocket. 62 Virginia cities cleared that bar this year.
