Virginia's population has topped 8 million, but it has not grown enough to increase the state's number of congressional districts, according to U.S. census figures released Tuesday.
The state will continue to have 11 seats in the House of Representatives, a figure that has not changed since 1990.
Nationally, changes in congressional apportionment reflect population declines in the Midwest and Northeast and increases in the South and West. Eight states will gain congressional seats, topped by Texas with four and Florida with two. Ten states will lose at least one seat, led by New York and Ohio, which dropped two each.
Virginia's population has risen from 7,078,515 residents in 2000 to 8,001,024 in 2010. The net gain of 922,509 residents, a 13 percent increase, marks the eighth consecutive decade that the state's population has risen by double digits.
Virginia's 11 House districts must have the same population. Although Virginia will not gain congressional seats, population shifts within the state will require state legislators to redraw district boundaries next year.
The more detailed population counts used to reapportion U.S. House districts won't be released until February, but other census data indicate population shifts toward Northern Virginia and away from Southwest and Southside.
Census population estimates released yearly take into account birth and death records since the 2000 census. In the July 2009 estimates, Virginia's fastest-growing locality was Loudoun County, which had added 131,572 people since the 2000 census, almost a 78 percent growth rate.
Second in raw population growth was Prince William County (98,353 more people), followed by Fairfax County (67,856), Chesterfield County (46,767), and Henrico County (34,115).
Among the areas that lost the most population, Buchanan County in Southwest Virginia topped the list, losing 4,118 people, a 15.3 percent drop. Danville was second (minus 4011 people), followed by two other Southside localities, Henry County (minus 3,042), and Charlottesville (minus 2,831).
An August analysis by the General Assembly's research agency, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, estimated that six of the state's 11 U.S. House districts will take in more territory because of declines in population. Five districts will become more compact because of population growth.
acain@timesdispatch.com
(804) 649-6645
cyoung@timesdispatch.com
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