Ranked from official statistics; every city opens its own guide.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Among the 100 largest places in Virginia, Virginia Beach has the most residents (456,349), followed by Chesapeake and Arlington. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 100 places in Virginia that we cover, the median is 24,271 and the average 46,291; the figure runs from 456,349 (Virginia Beach) to 13,478 (Newington). That is a spread of 33.9 times between the two ends.
The first five are Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Arlington, Norfolk, Richmond. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: size brings more employers and services but also longer commutes and more competition for housing. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.
| # ⇅ | City ⇅ | County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Beach | Virginia Beach City | 456,349 | $92,968 | $1,714 |
| 2 | Chesapeake | Chesapeake City | 252,583 | $95,373 | $1,586 |
| 3 | Arlington (unincorporated) | Arlington County | 236,254 | $142,114 | $2,322 |
| 4 | Norfolk | Norfolk City | 233,596 | $66,109 | $1,321 |
| 5 | Richmond | Richmond City | 229,359 | $64,587 | $1,372 |
| 6 | Newport News | Newport News City | 184,216 | $69,634 | $1,339 |
| 7 | Alexandria | Alexandria City | 156,976 | $119,681 | $2,089 |
| 8 | Hampton | Hampton City | 137,557 | $69,621 | $1,427 |
| 9 | Suffolk | Suffolk City | 98,796 | $92,666 | $1,563 |
| 10 | Roanoke | Roanoke City | 98,355 | $55,378 | $996 |
| 11 | Portsmouth | Portsmouth City | 97,190 | $60,491 | $1,300 |
| 12 | Lynchburg | Lynchburg City | 79,497 | $57,947 | $1,073 |
| 13 | Centreville (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 71,706 | $139,510 | $2,299 |
| 14 | Dale City (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 71,016 | $111,994 | $1,876 |
| 15 | Reston (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 64,414 | $148,710 | $2,231 |
| 16 | Harrisonburg | Harrisonburg City | 51,392 | $62,254 | $1,184 |
| 17 | McLean (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 49,627 | $250,001 | $3,422 |
| 18 | Tuckahoe (unincorporated) | Henrico County | 49,183 | $102,264 | $1,536 |
| 19 | Leesburg | Loudoun County | 49,171 | $145,205 | $2,105 |
| 20 | Lake Ridge (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 46,049 | $127,154 | $2,033 |
| 21 | Ashburn (unincorporated) | Loudoun County | 46,026 | $154,978 | $2,455 |
| 22 | Blacksburg | Montgomery County | 45,446 | $50,182 | $1,359 |
| 23 | Charlottesville | Charlottesville City | 45,437 | $74,824 | $1,540 |
| 24 | Burke (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 44,029 | $185,818 | $2,894 |
| 25 | Woodbridge (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 43,945 | $104,741 | $2,101 |
| 26 | Manassas | Manassas City | 42,976 | $113,590 | $1,850 |
| 27 | Danville | Danville City | 42,214 | $44,423 | $836 |
| 28 | Linton Hall (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 41,876 | $178,915 | $2,575 |
| 29 | Annandale (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 41,705 | $116,263 | $1,933 |
| 30 | Mechanicsville (unincorporated) | Hanover County | 38,683 | $98,595 | $1,724 |
| 31 | Oakton (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 36,528 | $160,663 | $2,276 |
| 32 | Fair Oaks (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 35,545 | $123,947 | $2,275 |
| 33 | South Riding (unincorporated) | Loudoun County | 34,352 | $196,403 | $2,905 |
| 34 | Petersburg | Petersburg City | 33,537 | $50,698 | $1,174 |
| 35 | Sterling (unincorporated) | Loudoun County | 32,411 | $123,303 | $2,138 |
| 36 | West Falls Church (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 31,279 | $134,978 | $2,066 |
| 37 | Springfield (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 31,154 | $125,999 | $2,656 |
| 38 | Short Pump (unincorporated) | Henrico County | 29,026 | $138,845 | $1,847 |
| 39 | Tysons (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 28,936 | $129,818 | $2,497 |
| 40 | Fredericksburg | Fredericksburg City | 28,873 | $86,071 | $1,619 |
| 41 | Winchester | Winchester City | 27,913 | $63,974 | $1,315 |
| 42 | Cherry Hill (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 26,044 | $122,447 | $1,931 |
| 43 | Staunton | Staunton City | 25,948 | $65,581 | $1,024 |
| 44 | Cave Spring (unincorporated) | Roanoke County | 25,742 | $87,539 | $1,285 |
| 45 | Salem | Salem City | 25,618 | $66,725 | $1,133 |
| 46 | Fairfax | Fairfax | 25,026 | $132,348 | $2,245 |
| 47 | Herndon | Fairfax County | 24,672 | $148,000 | $2,259 |
| 48 | Brambleton (unincorporated) | Loudoun County | 24,537 | $238,018 | $2,479 |
| 49 | Chester (unincorporated) | Chesterfield County | 24,474 | $95,104 | $1,603 |
| 50 | Bailey's Crossroads (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 24,271 | $88,483 | $2,021 |
| 51 | Chantilly (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 24,036 | $157,124 | $2,312 |
| 52 | Hopewell | Hopewell City | 22,959 | $54,729 | $1,106 |
| 53 | Waynesboro | Waynesboro City | 22,841 | $59,994 | $1,020 |
| 54 | Christiansburg | Montgomery County | 22,720 | $77,147 | $1,181 |
| 55 | McNair (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 22,655 | $122,778 | $2,287 |
| 56 | West Springfield (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 22,532 | $163,115 | $2,455 |
| 57 | Montclair (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 22,387 | $155,774 | $2,366 |
| 58 | Leesylvania (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 21,632 | $132,524 | $2,289 |
| 59 | Buckhall (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 21,602 | $180,021 | $2,478 |
| 60 | Woodlawn (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 21,194 | $91,884 | $1,828 |
| 61 | Rose Hill (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 21,066 | $174,950 | $2,475 |
| 62 | Lorton (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 20,991 | $138,685 | $2,548 |
| 63 | Culpeper | Culpeper County | 20,794 | $94,721 | $1,416 |
| 64 | Meadowbrook (unincorporated) | Chesterfield County | 20,749 | $86,054 | $1,583 |
| 65 | Merrifield (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 20,698 | $136,373 | $2,368 |
| 66 | Lincolnia (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 20,320 | $121,639 | $2,141 |
| 67 | Sudley (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 19,162 | $94,309 | $2,139 |
| 68 | Midlothian (unincorporated) | Chesterfield County | 19,120 | $110,084 | $1,760 |
| 69 | Franklin Farm (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 18,736 | $215,544 | $2,625 |
| 70 | Laurel (unincorporated) | Henrico County | 18,721 | $73,609 | $1,616 |
| 71 | Kingstowne (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 18,360 | $151,535 | $2,406 |
| 72 | Colonial Heights | Colonial Heights City | 18,352 | $76,505 | $1,234 |
| 73 | Franconia (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 18,335 | $152,474 | $2,605 |
| 74 | Gainesville (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 18,196 | $174,410 | $2,283 |
| 75 | Idylwood (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 17,559 | $120,109 | $2,045 |
| 76 | Glen Allen (unincorporated) | Henrico County | 17,551 | $92,723 | $1,804 |
| 77 | Hybla Valley (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 17,257 | $80,959 | $1,631 |
| 78 | Hollins (unincorporated) | Roanoke County | 17,097 | $77,456 | $1,193 |
| 79 | Burke Centre (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 17,037 | $164,123 | $2,515 |
| 80 | Bon Air (unincorporated) | Chesterfield County | 16,904 | $101,879 | $1,799 |
| 81 | Bull Run (unincorporated) | Prince William County | 16,859 | $89,679 | $2,002 |
| 82 | Bristol | Bristol City | 16,849 | $50,404 | $801 |
| 83 | Manassas Park | Manassas Park City | 16,798 | $103,250 | $2,146 |
| 84 | Radford | Radford City | 16,726 | $57,348 | $1,033 |
| 85 | Fort Hunt (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 16,700 | $216,038 | $3,501 |
| 86 | Stone Ridge (unincorporated) | Loudoun County | 16,603 | $187,563 | $2,746 |
| 87 | Vienna | Fairfax County | 16,412 | $216,953 | $2,391 |
| 88 | Wolf Trap (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 15,858 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 89 | Williamsburg | Williamsburg City | 15,798 | $75,604 | $1,407 |
| 90 | Front Royal | Warren County | 15,296 | $64,838 | $1,135 |
| 91 | East Highland Park (unincorporated) | Henrico County | 15,265 | $64,681 | $1,318 |
| 92 | Great Falls (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 15,228 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 93 | Falls Church | Falls Church City | 14,710 | $143,262 | $2,190 |
| 94 | Broadlands (unincorporated) | Loudoun County | 14,353 | $241,042 | $2,694 |
| 95 | Highland Springs (unincorporated) | Henrico County | 14,296 | $57,599 | $1,269 |
| 96 | Groveton (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 13,931 | $101,974 | $1,820 |
| 97 | Brandermill (unincorporated) | Chesterfield County | 13,730 | $107,396 | $1,782 |
| 98 | Martinsville | Martinsville City | 13,658 | $46,727 | $808 |
| 99 | Huntington (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 13,502 | $99,956 | $2,062 |
| 100 | Newington (unincorporated) | Fairfax County | 13,478 | $155,027 | $2,805 |
Cities With the Cheapest Rent · Cities With the Highest Household Income · Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income · Cities With the Lowest Unemployment · Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties · Most College-Educated Cities · Cities With the Most Homeowners · Cities With the Most Remote Work · Cities With the Shortest Commutes
Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.
Virginia Beach, with 456,349 (among the 100 largest places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 100 largest places in Virginia by population.