Northern Virginia’s population remains down, if ever so slightly, from the very start of the COVID pandemic, according to new data.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the region’s population at 2,545,632 as of July 1, 2022, according to figures released March 30 by the federal agency and analyzed by the GazetteLeader.
That’s down 0.2 percent from the official 2020 census figure of 2,550,360.
Data include population estimates for the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Arlington and the cities of Alexandria, Manassas, Fairfax, Manassas Park and Falls Church.
Six of the nine localities recorded population declines, led by Manassas Park, which was down 3 percent to 16,703. Others showing drops included Alexandria, (down 2.5% to 155,525); Arlington (off 1.9% to 234,000); Fairfax County (down 1% to 1,138,331); Falls Church (dropping 0.5% to 14,586); and Manassas (off 0.3% to 16,703).
Those showing increases were led by the city of Fairfax (up 3.8% to 24,835); followed by Loudoun County (up 2.6% to 432,085); and Prince William County (up 1% to 486,943).
Given the relatively small movement either direction over the 27-month period, none of the localities changed ranking positions in terms of overall population.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Virginia’s population grew from 8,631,384 in the 2020 official count to 8,638,619 in the July 1, 2022, estimate. Northern Virginia represented 29.3 percent of the commonwealth’s total population in 2022, down from 29.5 percent in 2020.
