The state of Virginia, located on the eastern coast of the United States, is renowned for its rich history, natural beauty, and diverse cultural heritage. Within its borders lie numerous cities, each with its unique charm, attractions, and contributions to the state’s overall tapestry. In this article, we will delve into the captivating cities of Virginia, each offering a distinct experience and adding to the state’s vibrant character.
- Alexandria: Situated just minutes away from the nation’s capital, Alexandria seamlessly blends historical elegance with modern appeal. The city’s Old Town, characterized by its well-preserved 18th-century architecture, beckons visitors to wander its cobblestone streets, explore boutiques, and dine in charming restaurants. Additionally, Alexandria’s waterfront promenade offers stunning views of the Potomac River.
- Richmond: As the capital of Virginia, Richmond holds significant historical and cultural importance. The city boasts a blend of classic and contemporary architecture, with highlights such as the Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson. Richmond’s vibrant arts scene, diverse culinary offerings, and proximity to the James River make it a dynamic destination.
- Virginia Beach: Known for its pristine sandy beaches, Virginia Beach is a popular coastal city attracting visitors from near and far. With a lively boardwalk stretching for three miles, it offers a plethora of entertainment options, including amusement parks, restaurants, and vibrant nightlife. Nature enthusiasts can explore the nearby Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge or take part in water activities like kayaking and surfing.
- Norfolk: Located at the heart of the Hampton Roads region, Norfolk is a bustling city with a rich maritime heritage. The city’s downtown waterfront district is a hub of activity, featuring the Nauticus maritime museum, the USS Wisconsin battleship, and the vibrant Waterside District. Norfolk also houses the world’s largest naval base, making it an important military center.
- Williamsburg: Stepping into Williamsburg feels like stepping back in time. This city is home to Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum where visitors can immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and stories of 18th-century America. The city also boasts the College of William & Mary, the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
- Roanoke: Nestled in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke is a gateway to outdoor adventures and natural beauty. The city offers stunning vistas, hiking trails, and the iconic Mill Mountain Star, which overlooks the downtown area. Roanoke’s vibrant arts scene, including the Taubman Museum of Art and the Jefferson Center, adds to its cultural appeal.
- Charlottesville: Known for its picturesque landscapes and association with Thomas Jefferson, Charlottesville offers a blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. The city is home to the University of Virginia, Monticello (Jefferson’s former residence), and the vibrant Downtown Mall, which features a variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
Virginia’s diverse cities offer a multitude of experiences, from historical landmarks and cultural attractions to breathtaking natural landscapes. Whether you’re exploring the colonial charm of Alexandria or immersing yourself in the living history of Williamsburg, each city in Virginia has its unique character and contributes to the state’s rich tapestry. As you traverse the Commonwealth, you’ll encounter a captivating blend of history, culture, and natural beauty that will leave you with lasting memories of this exceptional region.
Rank | City | Population | Area |
1 | Virginia Beach | 459,374 | 244.72 |
2 | Chesapeake | 249,680 | 338.51 |
3 | Norfolk | 237,592 | 53.27 |
4 | Richmond | 226,671 | 59.92 |
5 | Newport News | 185,917 | 68.99 |
6 | Alexandria | 159,098 | 14.93 |
7 | Hampton | 137,132 | 51.46 |
8 | Suffolk | 94,686 | 399.15 |
9 | Portsmouth | 98,016 | 33.3 |
10 | Roanoke | 99,876 | 42.52 |
11 | Lynchburg | 78,872 | 48.97 |
12 | Harrisonburg | 51,676 | 17.34 |
13 | Leesburg | 48,427 | 12.4 |
14 | Blacksburg | 44,164 | 19.72 |
15 | Charlottesville | 46,424 | 10.24 |
16 | Manassas | 42,729 | 9.85 |
17 | Danville | 42,466 | 42.8 |
18 | Petersburg | 33,429 | 22.72 |
19 | Fredericksburg | 27,996 | 10.45 |
20 | Winchester | 28,009 | 9.19 |
21 | Staunton | 25,801 | 19.92 |
22 | Salem | 25,375 | 14.52 |
23 | Fairfax | 24,130 | 6.24 |
24 | Herndon | 24,612 | 4.29 |
25 | Hopewell | 22,968 | 10.35 |
26 | Waynesboro | 22,280 | 14.97 |
27 | Culpeper | 20,157 | 7.27 |
28 | Christiansburg | 23,520 | 14.1 |
29 | Colonial Heights | 18,192 | 7.52 |
30 | Radford | 16,090 | 9.68 |
31 | Manassas Park | 17,141 | 2.52 |
32 | Bristol | 17,260 | 12.9 |
33 | Vienna | 16,466 | 4.4 |
34 | Williamsburg | 15,446 | 8.94 |
35 | Front Royal | 15,110 | 10.27 |
36 | Falls Church | 14,655 | 2.05 |
37 | Martinsville | 13,423 | 10.96 |
38 | Poquoson | 12,456 | 15.38 |
39 | Warrenton | 10,002 | 4.37 |
40 | Purcellville | 8,978 | 3.38 |
41 | Smithfield | 8,562 | 9.43 |
42 | Pulaski | 8,979 | 8.07 |
43 | Franklin | 8,172 | 8.28 |
44 | Abingdon | 8,378 | 8.05 |
45 | Wytheville | 8,284 | 14.49 |
46 | Vinton | 8,047 | 3.11 |
47 | South Boston | 7,981 | 13.06 |
48 | Lexington | 7,314 | 2.5 |
49 | Ashland | 7,487 | 7.2 |
50 | Strasburg | 7,114 | 4.07 |
51 | Farmville | 7,189 | 7.68 |
52 | Bedford | 6,604 | 8.71 |
53 | Galax | 6,692 | 8.24 |
54 | Buena Vista | 6,621 | 6.44 |
55 | Bridgewater | 6,140 | 2.52 |
56 | Woodstock | 5,795 | 3.81 |
57 | Covington | 5,722 | 5.47 |
58 | Marion | 5,814 | 4.12 |
59 | Dumfries | 5,716 | 1.53 |
60 | Emporia | 5,717 | 6.9 |
61 | Orange | 5,063 | 3.29 |
62 | Big Stone Gap | 5,259 | 4.93 |
63 | Richlands | 5,270 | 5.65 |
64 | Rocky Mount | 4,872 | 6.82 |
65 | Bluefield | 5,081 | 9.49 |
66 | Luray | 4,776 | 4.83 |
67 | South Hill | 4,682 | 9.83 |
68 | Berryville | 4,535 | 2.27 |
69 | Tazewell | 4,474 | 6.87 |
70 | Broadway | 4,202 | 2.36 |
71 | Colonial Beach | 3,895 | 2.55 |
72 | Norton | 3,680 | 7.48 |
73 | West Point | 3,415 | 5.05 |
74 | Clifton Forge | 3,525 | 3.02 |
75 | Blackstone | 3,362 | 4.5 |
76 | Altavista | 3,381 | 5.05 |
77 | Chincoteague | 3,329 | 9.26 |
78 | Lebanon | 3,147 | 4.69 |
79 | Timberville | 2,974 | 1.28 |
80 | Elkton | 2,971 | 3.16 |
81 | Grottoes | 2,922 | 2.04 |
82 | Windsor | 2,778 | 4.01 |
83 | Wise | 2,959 | 3.03 |
84 | Hillsville | 2,897 | 9.74 |
85 | Lovettsville | 2,710 | 0.82 |
86 | Pearisburg | 2,910 | 3.19 |
87 | Dublin | 2,645 | 1.35 |
88 | Shenandoah | 2,489 | 2.17 |
89 | Crewe | 2,272 | 2.01 |
90 | Tappahannock | 2,247 | 2.67 |
91 | New Market | 2,137 | 2.02 |
92 | Louisa | 2,016 | 1.83 |
93 | Amherst | 2,153 | 4.9 |
94 | Stephens City | 2,027 | 2.43 |
95 | Mount Jackson | 1,965 | 3.68 |
96 | Chase City | 2,058 | 2.19 |
97 | Narrows | 2,089 | 1.27 |
98 | Gate City | 2,046 | 3.98 |
99 | Appomattox | 1,894 | 2.31 |
100 | Waverly | 1,876 | 3.08 |
101 | Saltville | 1,809 | 7.94 |
102 | Victoria | 1,746 | 2.82 |
103 | Dayton | 1,704 | 1.03 |
104 | Stanley | 1,710 | 1.43 |
105 | Warsaw | 1,644 | 3.06 |
106 | Chilhowie | 1,685 | 2.53 |
107 | Pennington Gap | 1,610 | 1.67 |
108 | Haymarket | 1,548 | 0.57 |
109 | Coeburn | 1,592 | 1.95 |
110 | Rural Retreat | 1,540 | 2.28 |
111 | Gordonsville | 1,404 | 0.95 |
112 | Middletown | 1,359 | 0.78 |
113 | Kilmarnock | 1,412 | 3.41 |
114 | Exmore | 1,471 | 2.6 |
115 | Appalachia | 1,431 | 2.28 |
116 | Stuart | 1,346 | 3.04 |
117 | Glade Spring | 1,374 | 1.22 |
118 | Clintwood | 1,383 | 2.08 |
119 | Courtland | 1,292 | 0.92 |
120 | Clarksville | 1,306 | 2.91 |
121 | Gretna | 1,295 | 1.67 |
122 | Hurt | 1,269 | 3.48 |
123 | Buchanan | 1,202 | 2.18 |
124 | Edinburg | 1,184 | 0.74 |
125 | Weber City | 1,247 | 1.71 |
126 | Bowling Green | 1,162 | 1.6 |
127 | Honaker | 1,211 | 1.68 |
128 | Cape Charles | 1,184 | 3.55 |
129 | Chatham | 1,201 | 2.03 |
130 | Onancock | 1,167 | 1.05 |
131 | Pembroke | 1,149 | 1.09 |
132 | Kenbridge | 1,115 | 2.31 |
133 | Halifax | 1,113 | 3.78 |
134 | Brookneal | 1,072 | 3.5 |
135 | Glasgow | 1,056 | 1.53 |
136 | Occoquan | 1,036 | 0.17 |
137 | Lawrenceville | 1,008 | 1.15 |
138 | Cedar Bluff | 1,065 | 2.09 |
139 | Independence | 1,000 | 2.34 |
140 | Craigsville | 905 | 2.07 |
141 | Jonesville | 873 | 1.11 |
142 | Pound | 867 | 2.6 |
143 | St. Paul | 861 | 1.38 |
144 | Parksley | 815 | 0.62 |
145 | Keysville | 803 | 1.18 |
146 | Grundy | 840 | 4.99 |
147 | Damascus | 793 | 0.8 |
148 | Boyce | 756 | 0.37 |
149 | Ridgeway | 754 | 0.95 |
150 | Fincastle | 720 | 0.24 |
151 | Wakefield | 723 | 1.25 |
152 | Rich Creek | 734 | 0.82 |
153 | Round Hill | 694 | 0.37 |
154 | Middleburg | 673 | 1.03 |
155 | Remington | 627 | 0.22 |
156 | Jarratt | 637 | 1.26 |
157 | La Crosse | 612 | 1.17 |
158 | Hamilton | 617 | 0.21 |
159 | Quantico | 580 | 0.07 |
160 | Scottsville | 527 | 1.52 |
161 | Belle Haven | 541 | 1.53 |
162 | Onley | 537 | 0.8 |
163 | Haysi | 533 | 3.66 |
164 | Drakes Branch | 530 | 4.14 |
165 | Accomac | 526 | 0.41 |
166 | Boykins | 511 | 0.69 |
167 | Urbanna | 494 | 0.42 |
168 | Mineral | 473 | 0.89 |
169 | Nassawadox | 525 | 0.66 |
170 | Charlotte Court House | 499 | 3.96 |
171 | Irvington | 478 | 1.5 |
172 | Troutville | 463 | 0.69 |
173 | Floyd | 448 | 0.46 |
174 | Cheriton | 484 | 1.09 |
175 | Fries | 451 | 0.64 |
176 | McKenney | 450 | 0.93 |
177 | Mount Crawford | 443 | 0.48 |
178 | Dillwyn | 438 | 0.64 |
179 | Tangier | 434 | 0.54 |
180 | Burkeville | 420 | 1 |
181 | Melfa | 398 | 0.29 |
182 | White Stone | 385 | 0.98 |
183 | Bloxom | 385 | 0.33 |
184 | Nickelsville | 381 | 0.48 |
185 | Stanardsville | 345 | 0.36 |
186 | Montross | 334 | 1.03 |
187 | Goshen | 339 | 1.73 |
188 | Iron Gate | 321 | 0.33 |
189 | Ivor | 311 | 1.09 |
190 | Alberta | 301 | 2.13 |
191 | Claremont | 308 | 2.54 |
192 | Boydton | 300 | 0.82 |
193 | Eastville | 302 | 0.79 |
194 | Brodnax | 285 | 0.7 |
195 | Newsoms | 283 | 0.5 |
196 | Toms Brook | 276 | 0.13 |
197 | Painter | 274 | 0.65 |
198 | Boones Mill | 260 | 0.74 |
199 | Pocahontas | 270 | 0.57 |
200 | Dendron | 254 | 3.57 |
201 | The Plains | 247 | 0.28 |
202 | Wachapreague | 256 | 0.22 |
203 | Dungannon | 257 | 0.36 |
204 | Clifton | 245 | 0.24 |
205 | Phenix | 234 | 1.15 |
206 | Clinchco | 242 | 2.79 |
207 | Madison | 207 | 0.24 |
208 | Surry | 210 | 0.83 |
209 | Hallwood | 206 | 0.24 |
210 | Port Royal | 199 | 0.65 |
211 | Stony Creek | 196 | 0.58 |
212 | Saxis | 170 | 0.41 |
213 | Monterey | 167 | 0.32 |
214 | Pamplin City | 142 | 0.32 |
215 | Troutdale | 141 | 3.12 |
216 | Capron | 139 | 0.17 |
217 | Keller | 144 | 0.34 |
218 | Cleveland | 140 | 0.13 |
219 | New Castle | 127 | 0.17 |
220 | Scottsburg | 125 | 0.74 |
221 | Virgilina | 125 | 0.61 |
222 | Branchville | 119 | 0.43 |
223 | Hillsboro | 116 | 0.27 |
224 | Glen Lyn | 96 | 0.61 |
225 | Washington | 83 | 0.26 |
226 | St. Charles | 73 | 0.18 |
227 | Duffield | 72 | 0.61 |
228 | Clinchport | 64 | 0.67 |