Sussex County, Virginia

Quick answer: Sussex County is a county in Virginia with its seat at Sussex. Its estimated population in 2025 was 10,755, down 0.8% since 2020. It covers about 490 square miles of land.

Overview

Sussex County is one of the 95 counties of Virginia.[1] The county seat is Sussex.[2] The county was established in 1754.[2] The name comes from Sussex.[2]

Population of Sussex County

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Sussex County at 10,755 in July 2025, down 0.8% from the April 2020 base of 10,839.[1] That made it 114th of Virginia's 133 counties and independent cities by population. It ranked 96th for growth since 2020.[1]

From 2020 to 2025 the Census Bureau counted about 449 births and 850 deaths, so deaths outnumbered births by 401.[1] More people moved in from other parts of the United States than moved away. Net domestic migration was 319. Moves from abroad were -1.[1]

Geography

Sussex County covers 490.2 square miles of land and 2.6 square miles of water.[3] By land area it ranks 26th of 133 in Virginia.[3] It had about 22 people per square mile in 2025, so it is mostly rural. Its geographic center lies near 36.93° N, 77.26° W.[3]

The county borders Dinwiddie County, Greensville County, Prince George County, Southampton County and Surry County.[4]

The U.S. Geological Survey place-name database lists 57 named streams, 33 lakes and reservoirs and 1 spring in the county.[5]

Towns

Sussex County has 4 incorporated towns. With their estimated 2025 populations, they are: Waverly (1,936), Wakefield (746), Stony Creek (201), Jarratt (132, part).[6] In Virginia, towns remain part of the county around them, unlike independent cities. "Part" means only the share of the town inside this county.

Frequently asked questions

What is the county seat of Sussex County?
Sussex.

What is the population of Sussex County?
About 10,755 people in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

How big is Sussex County?
About 490 square miles of land, plus 2.6 square miles of water.

References

• [1] U.S. Census Bureau, County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025) – last checked 11/08/2026
• [2] Wikidata, Sussex County, Virginia (open data, CC0) – last checked 11/08/2026
• [3] U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files: Counties – last checked 11/08/2026
• [4] U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File (2024) – last checked 11/08/2026
• [5] U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Domestic Names – last checked 11/08/2026
• [6] U.S. Census Bureau, City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 – last checked 11/08/2026

Official website: www.sussexcountyva.gov

Boundary on the map: Census TIGERweb. See all counties and cities on the map.