List of cities in Virginia

Map of the United States with Virginia highlighted
Virginia counties and cities by year of establishment.

Virginia is a state located in the Southern United States. Since 1871, all cities in Virginia have been independent cities, which are administratively independent of any county. As of 2014, there are 38 independent cities, which are considered county-equivalents for census purposes. Many towns are as large as cities, but are not incorporated as cities and are situated within a parent county or counties. Eight independent cities—including Bedford, which gave up its city charter in 2013 and became a town—had 2010 populations of less than 10,000 with the smallest, Norton, having a population of only 3958.[1] In 2010, the largest towns were Blacksburg (with 42,620 people) and Leesburg (42,616). Four other towns also had populations of over 10,000 people.[1] For a complete list of these towns, see List of towns in Virginia. For major unincorporated population centers, see List of unincorporated towns in Virginia.

Virginia's independent cities were classified by the Virginia General Assembly in 1871 as cities of the first class and cities of the second class.[2] The Virginia Constitution of 1902 included defined first class cities as those having a population of 10,000 or more based upon the last census enumeration while second class cities were those that had a population of less than 10,000.[2] Cities which previously been granted a city charter, but did not have the requisite population, had their status grandfathered in.[2] Second class did not have a court of record and were required to share the cost of that court with their adjacent county and also shared the cost for three constitutional officers of that court—generally, the clerk, commonwealth attorney and sheriff—and those shared officers stood for election in both the city and the county.[2] At least two constitutional officers—treasurer and commissioner of the revenue—were required to be elected solely by the residents of the city.[2] The distinction between first and second class cities was ended with the Virginia Constitution of 1971.[2] However, cities that were classified as second class cities at the time of the adoption of the 1971 Virginia Constitution were authorized to continue sharing their court system and three constitutional officers with the adjacent county.[2] As of 2003, 14 of Virginia's independent cities retain these features.[2]

Top 10 most populated cities in Virginia (2010).
Virginia counties and cities by population density (population/ square mile) in 2015.
Virginia counties and cities by population in 2010.
Virginia counties and cities by population change from 2000 to 2010, in percentage.
2015 Pop.
rank		 Independent City 2015 Estimate Population
in 2010 [3]		 Population Change
1 Virginia Beach 452,745 437,994 +3.37%
2 Norfolk 246,393 242,301 +1.69%
3 Chesapeake 235,429 222,209 +5.95%
4 Richmond 220,289 204,214 +7.87%
5 Newport News 182,385 180,719 +0.92%
6 Alexandria 153,511 139,966 +9.68%
7 Hampton 136,454 137,436 −0.71%
8 Roanoke 99,897 97,032 +2.95%
9 Portsmouth 96,201 95,535 +0.70%
10 Suffolk 88,161 84,585 +4.23%
11 Lynchburg 79,812 75,568 +5.62%
12 Harrisonburg 52,538 48,914 +7.41%
13 Charlottesville 46,597 43,475 +7.18%
14 Danville 42,082 43,055 −2.26%
15 Manassas 41,764 37,821 +10.43%
16 Petersburg 32,477 32,420 +0.18%
17 Fredericksburg 28,118 24,286 +15.78%
18 Winchester 27,284 26,203 +4.13%
19 Salem 25,432 24,802 +2.54%
20 Staunton 24,416 23,746 +2.82%
21 Fairfax 24,013 22,565 +6.42%
22 Hopewell 22,378 22,591 −0.94%
23 Waynesboro 21,491 21,006 +2.31%
24 Colonial Heights 17,820 17,411 +2.35%
25 Radford 17,403 16,408 +6.06%
26 Bristol 17,141 17,835 −3.89%
27 Manassas Park 15,726 14,273 +10.18%
28 Williamsburg 15,052 14,068 +6.99%
29 Falls Church 13,892 12,332 +12.65%
30 Martinsville 13,645 13,821 −1.27%
31 Poquoson 12,059 12,150 −0.75%
32 Franklin 8,490 8,582 −1.07%
33 Lexington 7,262 7,042 +3.12%
34 Galax 6,914 7,042 −1.82%
35 Buena Vista 6,618 6,650 −0.48%
36 Covington 5,658 5,961 −5.08%
37 Emporia 5,496 5,927 −7.27%
38 Norton 3,939 3,958 −0.48%

References

  1. 1 2 "Population and Area of All Virginia Local Governments, 1790-2010". Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development website. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Former Second Class Cities in Virginia". Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development website. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  3. ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/VA
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