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VAVirginia rankings

Towns losing population in Virginia

Ranked by population loss between the 2010 and 2020 censuses. 35 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Map of Richlands 1 Richlands −9.7% 2010 census 5,823 Wise 2 Wise −9.6% 2010 census 3,286 Farmville 3 Farmville −9.0% 2010 census 8,216
#TownChange 2010–20202010 census2020 census
1 Map of Richlands Richlands5,171 people −9.7% 5,823 5,261
2 Wise Wise2,916 people −9.6% 3,286 2,971
3 Farmville Farmville7,774 people −9.0% 8,216 7,473
4 Clifton Forge Clifton Forge3,447 people −8.5% 3,884 3,555
5 Map of Lebanon Lebanon3,116 people −7.7% 3,424 3,159
6 Blackstone Blackstone3,341 people −7.4% 3,621 3,352
7 Norton Norton3,577 people −6.8% 3,958 3,687
8 Big Stone Gap Big Stone Gap5,162 people −6.4% 5,614 5,254
9 Bluefield4,979 people −6.4% 5,444 5,096
10 Franklin Franklin8,250 people −4.7% 8,582 8,180
11 Galax Galax6,726 people −4.6% 7,042 6,720
12 Covington5,680 people −3.8% 5,961 5,737
13 Marion Marion5,670 people −3.6% 5,968 5,751
14 Bristol Bristol16,849 people −3.5% 17,835 17,219
15 Madison Heights Madison Heights10,266 people −3.5% 11,285 10,893
16 Tazewell Tazewell4,390 people −3.0% 4,627 4,486
17 Crewe Crewe2,906 people −2.8% 2,326 2,262
18 Emporia5,547 people −2.7% 5,927 5,766
19 Martinsville13,658 people −2.4% 13,821 13,485
20 Map of South Boston South Boston7,853 people −2.2% 8,142 7,966
21 Radford16,726 people −2.1% 16,408 16,070
22 Map of Altavista Altavista3,342 people −2.1% 3,450 3,378
23 Norfolk Norfolk233,596 people −2.0% 242,803 238,005
24 Crosspointe5,669 people −1.4% 5,802 5,722
25 Seven Corners Seven Corners9,371 people −1.3% 9,255 9,131
26 Luray Luray4,827 people −1.3% 4,895 4,831
27 Danville Danville42,214 people −1.1% 43,055 42,590
28 Dranesville11,828 people −1.1% 11,921 11,785
29 Pulaski Pulaski8,893 people −1.1% 9,086 8,985
30 Montrose8,285 people −1.1% 7,993 7,909
31 Franklin Farm Franklin Farm18,736 people −0.5% 19,288 19,189
32 Vinton Vinton8,056 people −0.5% 8,098 8,059
33 Floris7,589 people −0.4% 8,375 8,341
34 Hampton Hampton137,557 people −0.2% 137,436 137,148
35 Buena Vista6,593 people −0.1% 6,650 6,641

How this ranking works

We rank every town by population loss between the 2010 and 2020 censuses. Only towns that shrank are listed. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Virginia as a whole is +7.9%.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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