There are 38 independent cities in Virginia, more than in the rest of the United States combined. Each one governs its own territory outside any county.

Quick answer: The 38 independent cities in Virginia are local governments that belong to no county. The Census Bureau treats each one as a county equivalent. Only three other independent cities exist in the country: Baltimore, St. Louis and Carson City.

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Independent Cities in the United States

The U.S. Census Bureau names four groups of independent cities: Baltimore in Maryland, St. Louis in Missouri, Carson City in Nevada, and Virginia’s 38 independent cities.[1] All of them are county equivalents in federal statistics. Virginia therefore holds 38 of the 41 independent cities in the nation.

In Census data the independent cities of a state receive county codes beginning at 500, assigned in alphabetical order.[1] For this reason Virginia tables list the 95 counties first and the 38 cities after them.

How an Independent City Works

An incorporated city in Virginia is not part of any county.[2] Cities and counties are co-equal levels of local government. A city therefore functions as a county within its own boundary.

The Census Bureau lists Fairfax city and Fairfax County as two separate jurisdictions, each with its own population estimate.[3] The same applies to Roanoke city and Roanoke County.

Towns follow a different rule. A town remains part of the county around it.[2]

The Most Recent Change: Bedford

The number of independent cities is not fixed. On July 1, 2013, Bedford changed from an independent city to a town and became part of Bedford County.[4] The Census Bureau estimated that the change added about 6,222 residents to the county. Since then Virginia has had 38 independent cities.

List of the 38 Independent Cities

The table lists the cities by estimated population in 2025, with the change since 2020.[3]

# City Population, 2025 Change since 2020
1 Virginia Beach 453,737 -1.3%
2 Chesapeake 255,332 +2.3%
3 Richmond 237,257 +4.6%
4 Norfolk 231,013 -2.9%
5 Newport News 183,230 -1.5%
6 Alexandria 160,662 +1.0%
7 Hampton 137,315 0.0%
8 Suffolk 104,699 +10.4%
9 Roanoke 99,111 -0.8%
10 Portsmouth 96,777 -1.2%
11 Lynchburg 81,347 +3.0%
12 Harrisonburg 50,839 -1.7%
13 Charlottesville 44,388 -4.4%
14 Manassas 44,332 +3.8%
15 Danville 41,647 -2.2%
16 Petersburg 33,734 +1.0%
17 Fredericksburg 30,393 +8.6%
18 Winchester 28,272 +1.0%
19 Staunton 26,801 +3.8%
20 Fairfax 26,772 +10.7%
21 Salem 25,816 +1.6%
22 Waynesboro 23,951 +7.5%
23 Hopewell 23,261 +1.1%
24 Colonial Heights 18,738 +3.2%
25 Radford 17,243 +7.0%
26 Manassas Park 16,560 -3.5%
27 Bristol 16,418 -5.2%
28 Williamsburg 15,861 +2.6%
29 Falls Church 15,159 +3.3%
30 Martinsville 13,849 +2.8%
31 Poquoson 13,292 +6.6%
32 Franklin 8,478 +4.1%
33 Lexington 7,769 +6.2%
34 Buena Vista 6,672 +0.8%
35 Galax 6,670 -0.7%
36 Covington 5,680 -1.2%
37 Emporia 5,447 -4.4%
38 Norton 3,477 -5.5%

Fairfax (+10.7%) and Suffolk (+10.4%) grew fastest between 2020 and 2025. Norton (-5.5%) and Bristol (-5.2%) lost the largest share of residents.[3]

Frequently asked questions

How many independent cities are in Virginia? Virginia has 38, out of 41 in the United States.

What is the largest independent city in Virginia? Virginia Beach, with an estimated 453,737 residents in 2025.

What is the smallest independent city in Virginia? Norton, with an estimated 3,477 residents in 2025.

Why is Bedford no longer an independent city? Bedford became a town on July 1, 2013, and joined Bedford County.

References

Every city appears, with its boundary and population, on the map of Virginia counties and cities.