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List of cities and counties in Virginia - Wikipedia

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Independent cities and Counties of Virginia
LocationCommonwealth of Virginia
Number95 Counties
38 Independent cities
133 Second-level subdivisions
Populations(Counties): 2,348 (Highland) – 1,160,925 (Fairfax)
(Independent cities): 3,478 (Norton) – 454,808 (Virginia Beach)
Areas(Counties): 26 square miles (67 km2) (Arlington) – 978 square miles (2,530 km2) (Pittsylvania)
(Independent cities): 2 square miles (5.2 km2) (Falls Church) – 400 square miles (1,000 km2) (Suffolk)
Government
Subdivisions
  • (Counties): cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place
    (Independent cities): Borough, Neighborhood
Virginia counties and cities by year of establishment

The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties, along with 38 independent cities that are considered county-equivalents for census purposes, totaling 133 second-level subdivisions. In Virginia, cities are co-equal levels of government to counties, but towns are part of counties. For some counties, for statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines any independent cities with the county that it was once part of (before the legislation creating independent cities took place in 1871).[1]

Many county seats are politically not a part of the counties they serve; under Virginia law, all municipalities incorporated as cities are independent cities and are not part of any county. Some of the cities in the Hampton Roads area, including Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, and Suffolk were formed from an entire county. These cities are no longer county seats, since the counties ceased to exist once the cities were completely formed but are functionally equivalent to counties. Also in Virginia, a county seat may be an independent city surrounded by, but not part of, the county of which it is the administrative center; for example, Fairfax City is both the county seat of Fairfax County and is completely surrounded by Fairfax County, but the city is politically independent of the county.

Map showing the population density of Virginia

Many towns are as large as cities but are not incorporated as cities and are situated within a parent county or counties. Seven independent cities had 2020 populations of less than 10,000 with the smallest, Norton having a population of only 3,687.[2] In 2020, the largest towns were Leesburg (with 48,250 people) and Blacksburg (44,826). Six other towns also had populations of over 10,000 people.[2] For a complete list of these towns, see List of towns in Virginia. For major unincorporated population centers, see List of unincorporated communities 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.[3] The Virginia Constitution of 1902 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.[3] Cities that previously been granted a city charter, but did not have the requisite population, had their status grandfathered in.[3]

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.[3] At least two constitutional officers—treasurer and commissioner of the revenue—were required to be elected solely by the residents of the city.[3] The distinction between first and second class cities was ended with the Virginia Constitution of 1971.[3] 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.[3] As of 2003, 14 of Virginia's independent cities retain these features.[3]

There are several counties and cities that have the same name but are separate politically. These currently include Fairfax, Franklin, Richmond, and Roanoke. In the past they also included Norfolk and Alexandria, whose counties changed their names, ostensibly to end some of the confusion; as well as Bedford, where a city was surrounded by a county of the same name from 1968 until 2013, when the city reverted to town status. A city and county that share a name may be completely unrelated in geography. For example, Richmond County is nowhere near the City of Richmond, and Franklin County is even farther from the City of Franklin.

More Virginia counties are named for women than in any other state.[4]

Virginia's postal abbreviation is VA and its FIPS state code is 51.

List of the 95 counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia (links shown under FIPS County Code are for the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics Info Page for that county):

Virginia counties and independent cities
Virginia counties and independent cities

List of independent cities

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Smithsonian trinomial abbreviations

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List of county abbreviations

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The counties have the following Smithsonian trinomial abbreviations:[20]

Code County name Code County name Code County name Code County name
AC Accomack CU Cumberland KQ King and Queen PU Pulaski
AG Alleghany DK Dickenson KW King William PW Prince William
AH Amherst DW Dinwiddie LA Lancaster RA Rappahannock
AL Albemarle ES Essex LE Lee RB Rockbridge
AM Amelia FD Frederick LD Loudoun RC Richmond
AP Appomattox FL Floyd LO Louisa RH Rockingham
AR Arlington County FQ Fauquier LU Lunenburg RO Roanoke
AU Augusta FR Franklin MA Madison RU Russell
BA Bath FV Fluvanna MI Middlesex SC Scott
BD Bedford FX Fairfax MK Mecklenburg SH Shenandoah
BK Buckingham GI Giles MO Montgomery SM Smyth
BL Bland GL Gloucester MT Mathews SO Southampton
BO Botetourt GO Goochland NK New Kent SP Spotsylvania
BR Brunswick GR Greene NL Nelson ST Stafford
BU Buchanan GV Greensville NO Northampton SU Surry
CA Carroll GY Grayson NT Nottoway SX Sussex
CB Campbell HE Henry NU Northumberland TZ Tazewell
CC Charles City HI Highland OR Orange WA Washington
CG Craig HN Hanover PA Page WE Westmoreland
CH Chesterfield HR Henrico PE Prince Edward WI Wise
CK Clarke HX Halifax PG Prince George WR Warren
CL Caroline IW Isle of Wight PK Patrick WY Wythe
CP Culpeper JC James City PO Powhatan YO York
CR Charlotte KG King George PT Pittsylvania

List of independent city abbreviations

[edit]

The counties have the following Smithsonian trinomial abbreviations:[20]

Code City name Code County name Code County name Code County name
ALX Alexandria BRI Bristol BVA Buena Vista CHA Charlottesville
CHE Chesapeake CHS Colonial Heights COV Covington DAN Danville
EMP Emporia FAX Fairfax FAL Falls Church FRK Franklin
FRD Fredericksburg GAL Galax HAM Hampton HAR Harrisonburg
HOP Hopewell LEX Lexington LYN Lynchburg MAN Manassas
MAP Manassas Park MAR Martinsville NN Newport News NOR Norfolk
NRT Norton PET Petersburg POQ Poquoson POR Portsmouth
RAD Radford RIC Richmond ROA Roanoke SAL Salem
STA Staunton SUF Suffolk VAB Virginia Beach WAY Waynesboro
WIL Williamsburg WIN Winchester
  • The historical drama TV series The Waltons is set in Jefferson County, specifically in the fictional community of Walton's Mountain.
  1. ^ "Cities of Virginia". The Hornbook of Virginia History. Encyclopedia Virginia. December 7, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Area and Population of Virginia Localities" (PDF). Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. April 19, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Former Second Class Cities in Virginia" (PDF). Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. November 13, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  4. ^ Kane, Joseph Nathan; Aiken, Charles Curry (2005). The American Counties: Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, and Population Data, 1950-2000. Scarecrow Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-8108-5036-1.
  5. ^ a b "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d e f National Association of Counties. "NACo - Find a county". Retrieved April 26, 2007.
  7. ^ Virginia Commission on Local Government. "County Seats" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  8. ^ "U.S. Census 2024 population estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  9. ^ "Virginia Historical Counties" Archived August 4, 2004, at the Wayback Machine. Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Chicago: Newberry Library. Retrieved July 10, 2010. Select the map for December 31, 1634 (the earliest date available).
  10. ^ "About Us: History". Highland County. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  11. ^ "2024 U.S. Census Quickfacts website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  12. ^ "Virginia Historical Counties" Archived August 4, 2004, at the Wayback Machine. Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Chicago: Newberry Library. Retrieved July 9, 2010. Compare the maps for July 9 and 10, 1902.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Census Office (1920), Fourteenth Census of the United States
  14. ^ a b c d e f Durman, George W. "Current Virginia Counties & Independent Cities". Germanna Colonies. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  15. ^ King, Lauren. "What's in a name? | Newport News". pilotonline.com.
  16. ^ City of Norfolk. "19th Century History". City of Norfolk History. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  17. ^ City of Norfolk. "17th Century History". City of Norfolk History. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  18. ^ City of Portsmouth. "City of Portsmouth, Virginia - History". City of Portsmouth. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  19. ^ a b c City of Suffolk. "All About Suffolk: History". Suffolk: Community. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "County List". www.vahighways.com. Retrieved April 12, 2023.