Northern Virginia population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Race and Ethnicity Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Race and Ethnicity of Northern Virginia Overview A big story of the region is its racial and ethnic diversity and continuing diversification. Northern Virginia's racial and ethnic composition makes it more diverse today than the United State and Virginia and this has been the case for decades. Much of the continued diversification is attributed to the sizable increases in the number of Hispanics, Asians, and multiracial persons in the region. The following charts show the region's population by race and ethnicity, along with analyses of diversity for Northern Virginia and its counties and cities. Upcoming Changes to Categorization of Race/Ethnicity Race/ethnicity data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau is the primary source of race and ethnicity demographics. The U.S. Census Bureau currently collects race and ethnicity data based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards from 1997. New race/ethnicity standards were adopted by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024, the first such adoption since 1997. Changes are coming to how race and ethnicity information will be collected and reported in the United States. Federal agencies, including the U.S. Census Bureau, must implement the new standards into data collections as soon as possible, but no later than March 28, 2029. The U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), a survey conducted annually, will be one of the first U.S. Census Bureau products to implement the new standards. As of July 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau was proposing to begin implementation of data collection in 2026 or 2027 for the ACS products. The 2030 Decennial Census will also reflect the new standards. The new race categories will offer individuals more precise ways to self-identify, especially for people who self-identify as multiracial or multiethnic. This will result in a more accurate representation of the U.S. population's race and ethnic characteristics. Changes will include a single combined question instead of separate race and ethnicity questions. Also, a new "Middle Eastern or North African" category will be added. These changes aim to better reflect the diversity of the American population. These changes will create challenges and implications for our understanding of the population and trends because the data will not be comparable to prior data. These modifications will alter the population size of subgroups. Specifically, the Census Bureau’s 2015 National Content Test results suggest anticipating increases in those identifying as Middle Eastern or North African, Hispanic or Latino, and Black or African American. Conversely, the number of individuals categorized as “white” or "some other race" is projected to decline. The combined race and ethnicity question is also expected to improve response rates for the race component on the decennial census and ACS forms. More information can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau's website . Decennial Census Data The Decennial Census is based on a survey of the entire population. It is conducted once a decade. The 2020 Decennial Census population was released on August 12, 2021. The Decennial Census regional, county, and city population data is shown in the interactive charts that follow. The 2020 Census had improvements to the design of the two separate questions for race and ethnicity, data processing, and coding, which enabled a more thorough and accurate depiction of how people prefer to self-identify. These changes along with actual demographic changes in the population result in the changes seen from 2010 to 2020 in the following data. For more details on the 2020 Census questionnaire changes and its impacts please view the U.S. Census Bureau's technical information . The following charts show the region's population by race and ethnicity, along with analyses of diversity for Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns. People of Hispanic/Latino origin are an ethnic group and may be of any race. To display Hispanic/Latino together with racial groups, it is common to cross-tabulate race and ethnicity to display Hispanic/Latino as a single category and the non-Hispanic race groups as categories that sum to the total population. This means of displaying race and ethnic data has become quite common and for available data, it is the closest categorization c ompared to the new race/ethnicity standards that were adopted by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024 (for more information see prior section ). With this classification, Hispanic/Latino is treated identically to major race groups and not independently of race. Also, Census Bureau research has shown that this classification is much less impacted by the 2020 Census questionnaire improvements. NVRC has migrated its demographic analysis to the cross-tabulated categories. The following charts, as well as the calculation of diversity, use the cross-tabulated categories.

Information on decennial census purpose, responding to, and tracking data responses. A regional information and data resource from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Decennial Census Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Access and View Data Analyses NVRC Regional Data Analysis Data analyses of 2020 and prior censuses for the Northern Virginia region overall and each of its counties, cities, and towns are posted under the People section of this dashboard. Census Bureau Nationwide Data Analysis The Census Bureau published 2020 Census analyses through a series of data visualizations , America Counts stories , and videos to help illustrate and explain the Census results and the country's demograph ic characteristics. Access and View U.S. Census Bureau Products Decennial Censuses are released in multiple phases through multiple products. Starting with the 2020 Decennial Census, t he Demographic Profile, Demographic and Housing Characteristics, and redistricting data products all are injected with random statistical “noise” using the differential privacy approach to prevent disclosure of personal information. Caution should be utilized when using this data. The larger the population size of a geographic area, the more accurate the data and the diminished likelihood of having implausible data. Statistical noise is infused to protect confidentiality. The impact of statistical noise decreases with larger geographies. For more information, on the statistic noise injected, privacy, and accuracy, see the information under Privacy and Accuracy of 2020 Census Data . Demographic Profile and Demographic and Housing Characteristics The 2020 Census Demographic Profile and Demographic and Housing Characteristics were released in May 2023. These files contain 2020 Census data on characteristics of the population (i.e. age, sex race), characteristics of households (i.e. household size, rent/own, families). Access and view Northern Virginia regional data: County/City County/City Demographic Profile County/City Demographic and Housing Characteristics Incorporated Towns Incorporated Towns Demographic Profile Incorporated Town Demographic and Housing Characteristics Redistricting Demographic Data Redistricting dem ographic data released to the public in August and September 2021. This release contains population, race/ethnicity, age, housing units, and housing tenure data for c ounties, cities, and geographies as small as census blocks. The second product set will contain more detail demographic and housing characteristics data. Access and view Northern Virginia regional data: County/City County/City Redistricting Data Incorporated Towns Not Available Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics DHC-A The Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics file were released in three phases, with the first one being the Detailed DHC-A released September 2023. Included in this release are detailed population counts, sex, and age for approximately 370 racial and ethnic groups and places of origin, such as German, Lebanese, Chinese, and Mexican. Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics DHC-B The Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics Detailed DHC-B released August 2024. The Detailed DHC-B includes detailed household type (e.g., family or non-family) and tenure for approximately 370 racial and ethnic groups and places of origin , such as German, Lebanese, Chinese, and Mexican. Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics S-DHC The Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics Supplemental DHC (S-DHC) was released September 2024. It includes complex relationships between the characteristics about households and the people living in them, including average household size, average household size by age and tenure, and household and family type for people under 18 years old. Privacy and Accuracy of 2020 Census Data The Demographic Profile, Demographic and Housing Characteristics, and redistricting data all are injected with random statistical “noise” using the differential privacy approach to prevent disclosure of personal information. For the Demographic and Housing Characteristics, the Census Bureau released statistical error metrics (Excel File) to help users understand the variation in the data introduced by using differential privacy. Additional guidance to users is provided by the U.S. Census Bureau in the blog post, What to Expect: Disclosure Avoidance and the 2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File . For decades, the U.S. Census Bureau has used different techniques to protect individual privacy through their Disclosure Avoidance System (DAS). Differential Privacy (DP) is the latest technique. This technique was chosen because enhanced privacy protection is needed due to advances in technology that enable the ability to identify individuals when combined with other information. DP impacts data accuracy more than any other technique previously applied to decennial census results. DP will add random data (“noise”) to counts for geographic areas below the state level, to prevent identification of individuals. The amount of noise added to the data will be greater than any prior decennial census technique. The impact of statistical noise decreases the larger the population size of a geographic area. From 2019 through 2022, Northern Virginia jurisdictions, through the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), participated in the U.S. Census Bureau’s DP demonstration data review and provided feedback to the U.S. Census Bureau. The following document is a brief overview of DP and the impacts it has on data quality. Click on the image to download. For an in-depth description of DP go to the Census Bureau's DP website . Download a copy of the Differential Privacy Fact Sheet Privacy Accuracy

Northern Virginia economic monitoring of the 2025-2029 presidential administration's federal cutbacks. Analysis conducted by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Federal Monitoring Federal Monitoring of Northern Virginia Northern Virginia has approximately 12 percent of its residents employed in the federal government. The federal government budgetary cutback and job layoffs that the new presidential administration began implementing in January 2025 will have deep economic impacts on the region. Detailed information for understanding and monitoring the federal impacts is available on the following topics . Fact Sheet Reports/Resources Maps Safety Net Participants Local Area Economic Statistics

Immigrant labor force data compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, Coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and data dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Labor Force - Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Key Facts Labor Force - Overall Northern Virginia’s immigrant population is well-suited to maintaining and expanding the region’s labor force In Northern Virginia, immigrant entrepreneurs – those who work for their own businesses, incorporated or not – are making their mark locally. 2013 to 2017 Period Key Facts: In Northern Virginia, less than two-thirds, or 61.6 percent of the U.S.-born population are of working age — between 16 and 64 years old — the range considered to be working age by the Department of Labor. Meanwhile, more than four out of five, or 83.9 percent of the immigrant population in the region are of working age. While immigrants make up 27.4 percent of the overall population, they make up 34.0 percent of the region’s working-age population. Northern Virginia has a high percentage of immigrants, 31.8 percent, working in STEM industries compared to 22.8 percent of immigrants overall in the United States. What are the top 3 industry sectors of the U.S. Born labor force? What are the top 3 industry sectors of the U.S. Born labor force? Source: 2013-2017 American Community Survey, 5-Year Sample, downloaded from IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, www.ipums.org . 1. Professional Services (25.4%) 2. Administration (14.7%) 3. Education ( 9.6%) What are the top 3 industry sectors of the Foreign Born labor force? What are the top 3 industry sectors of the Foreign Born labor force? 1. Professional Services (20.7%) 2. Entertainment, Arts, and Hospitality (12.1%) 3. Construction (10.8%) Source: NAE analysis of the 2013-2017 American Community Survey,5-Year Sample, downloaded from IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, www.ipums.org ; ITEP, “Who Pays?”; Congressional Budget Office; U.S. Social Security Administration.

Federal impact reports and studies on Northern Virginia, DC Metro Area, and Virginia. Federal Monitoring Reports/Resources NVRC Presentations School Planners Forum - June 4, 2025 Federal Impact on School Enrollment Presentation - NVRC's Senior Regional Demographer, Jill Kaneff, presented at the annual regional school planners forum hosted by Loudoun County Public Schools. The forum brought together school planners from across the D.C. region and beyond. Guidance on key demographic and economic indicators to monitor was provided to assist schools plan for the federal impacts on enrollment during these uncertain times caused by the federal layoffs and cutbacks. Virginia House Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions, April 8, 2025 NVRC's Senior Regional Demographer, Jill Kaneff, and the NVRC Chair presented at the committee meeting. The Northern Virginia Federal Workforce presentation is an overview of Northern Virginia federal workforce and data resources available for policy makers and the general public. Economy Virginia Economic Impacts The University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service produces a quarterly economic forecast for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The center also publishes special studies and presentations that focus on the federal impacts. View the Weldon Cooper Center's research reports. Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area Economic Impacts The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) partners with the Brookings Metro program of the Brookings Institute to produce the DMV Monitor, an interactive dashboard designed to track a wide range of economic indicators, including job growth, real estate, venture capital, and tourism, and provide in-depth analysis of the region’s economic, social, and fiscal health. View the DMV Monitor . Housing Market Bright MLS Bright MLS tracks and reports on the housing market conditions of Northern Virginia's and the Greater D.C. metropolitan area. Bright MLS News and Insights offers insightful research and surveys, covering topics such as the effects of DOGE and federal spending cuts. Featured informative resources also include the following. Monthly Market Report The monthly market reports include a Washington D.C. metro area market report and individual Northern Virginia jurisdiction market reports . These reports present market trends and comparative graphs showing current and historical data. Special Presentation in Coordination with NVRC Lisa Sturtevant, PhD, Chief Economist with Bright MLS, presented at the Loudoun County Public Schools Planners and GIS Forum on June 4, 2025: D.C. Metropolitan Area Housing Market Trends and Outlook . This presentation includes insightful comparative market trends not found in the monthly market reports. The forum brought together school planners from across the D.C. region and beyond. This presentation was part of a two set series on the federal impacts, with the first presentation being NVRC's presentation on Federal Impact on School Enrollment . Northern Virginia Association of Realtors The Northern Virginia Association of Realtor tracks and reports on the housing market conditions of the inner jurisdictions of Northern Virginia with data provided by George Mason University's Center for Regional Analysis and Bright MLS. On an annual basis, a report on housing market forecasts is produced in conjunction with the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University (GMU-CRA). DMV Monitor The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) partners with the Brookings Metro program of the Brookings Institute to produce the DMV Monitor, an interactive dashboard designed to track a wide range of economic indicators, including job growth, real estate, venture capital, and tourism, and provide in-depth analysis of the region’s economic, social, and fiscal health. View the DMV Monitor .

Northern Virginia population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Population Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Population of Northern Virginia Overview Northern Virginia is on the front lines of a demographic transformation shaping the United States. There has been an extraordinary amount of population growth in Northern Virginia. In 2025, the Northern Virginia population was 79% more than in 1990 when the population was 1,466,350. Population Estimate 2025 2,628,004 Annual Estimates/Trends Decennial Census/Trends Annual Estimates Annual Estimates: Population, Natural Change (Births and Deaths), Migration Annual estimates of population and the components of change (domestic migration, international migration, births, and deaths) paint a portrait of the annual growth patterns in the towns of Northern Virginia. Annual estimates are not based on a full census of the population. Rather, they are estimates based on a compilation of multiple administrative data pieces such as birth records and residential building permits. The estimates are obtained from the U.S. Census, which benchmarks estimates to the Decennial Censuses. Decennial Census data represents the population as of April 1 of the year, whereas the annual estimates are as of July 1 of each year. Decennial Population Decennial Census Data: Population The Decennial Census is based on a survey of the entire population. It is conducted once a decade. The 2020 Decennial Census population was released on August 12, 2021. The Decennial Census regional, county, and city population data is shown in the interactive charts that follow. Key Facts: Decennial Growth In 2020, Northern Virginia's population was 2,550,337 according to the Decennial Census. The population increased from 1,466,409 in 1990, a 74% increase in the 30 year period from 1990 to 2020. Northern Virginia added approximately 320,000 people in this past decade, 2010 to 2020. This is 96,000 or 23% less than the previous decade, signaling a significant slowdown in the pace of growth. However, growth still continues at a high amount. Virginia’s population grew by 630,369 from 2010 to 2020, of which 50.7% of that growth was in Northern Virginia. In 2020, 29.5% of Virginia’s population was in Northern Virginia, compared to 27.9% in 2010. Growth peaked in 2010. Growth in Northern Virginia has slowed since 2010. It has trended down annually since 2010, but it is still large and impactful growth that the the region is facing. The localities in Northern Virginia the growth is occurring in this decade is different in some ways than in the 1990s and 2000s. The preponderance of population growth of Northern Virginia continues to be located in the outer-ring suburbs of Prince William, Loudoun Counties, and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. However, the share of the region's growth that is in the outer-ring has dropped from 65.1% in the 2000 to 2010 period to 61.5% in the 2010 to 2020 period. Arlington has seen its share of the region's growth more than double from what it experienced in the 2000's. Alexandria has seen its share of the region's growth become 2.2 times what it experienced in the 2000's. Intensification of developmental pressures this decade in the inner-core is a response to the millennial generation preferences, demographics, urbanization, transportation and other market pressures.

Northern Virginia towns educational attainment, public school student enrollment, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Educational Attainment of Towns Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Educational Attainment of Towns Overview Northern Virginia localities are home to some of the most highly educated residents in the nation. This high education level of the region's citizens creates a strong, flourishing business community. The percentage of Northern Virginia's population age 25 or more holding a bachelor's or higher degree is 61.9%, which is nearly double the United States, and holding a graduate or professional degree is 30.2%, which is more than double the United States. About the Data and Proper Data Interpretation Educational attainment data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and the American Community Survey. All of the incorporated towns in Northern Virginia have a population of less than 65,000 persons. One-year ACS estimates do not exist for incorporated places with a population of less than 65,000. All incorporated towns and places in the United States are included in the five-year ACS estimates. It is important to note that any data sourced from the ACS is based on a small sample of the population of a place. The ACS estimates for places with smaller populations such as Clifton, Dumfries, Hamilton, Haymarket, Hillsboro, Lovettsville, Middleburg, and Quantico can be unreliable if the margin of error is large. The margin of error is shown in the popup that is displayed when hovering over a bar in the bar charts. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is not considered statistically significant and is likely due to statistical sampling error. In addition to the margin of error, the accuracy of the American Community Survey data for an area can be gaged by evaluating the trend. If the data has a clear trend then the data from one period to the next can be deemed reliable. Educational Attainment - Current Bachelor's or Higher Degrees - Current The population age 25 or over with bachelor's or higher degrees of the counties, cities, and incorporated towns in Northern Virginia is shown in this graph. All towns, except for Dumfries, have higher percentages of bachelor's or higher degree holders than the United States and Commonwealth of Virginia. The towns of Clifton and Vienna have higher percentages of bachelor's or higher degree holders than Northern Virginia overall. Graduate or Professional Degrees - Current The population age 25 or over with graduate or professional degrees of the counties, cities, and incorporated towns in Northern Virginia is shown in this graph. The towns of Clifton and Vienna have higher percentages of graduate or professional degree holders than Northern Virginia overall. Educational Attainment - Historic Compared to Current Bachelor's or Higher Degrees - Historic Compared to Current The trend over time in the population age 25 or over with bachelor's or higher degrees in Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns are shown in this graph. Due to the small size of many towns, the educational attainment data of towns should be used with caution and the margin of error of the educational attainment data should be taken into consideration. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and the data should be used with caution. Graduate or Professional Degree - Historic Compared to Current The trend over time in the population age 25 or over with graduate or professional degrees in Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns are shown in this graph. Due to the small size of many towns, the educational attainment data of towns should be used with caution and the margin of error of the educational attainment data should be taken into consideration. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and the data should be used with caution.

Accessibility Statement Overview Date of last revision: 03/04/21 The Northern Virginia Regional Commission strives to ensure that its services are accessible to people with disabilities and has invested resources to help provide an easy-to-use experience for all visitors to our website, novaregiondashboard.com, regardless of the type of device used and whether a visitor uses assistive technology like a screen reader, font magnification, translation or voice recognition software. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission uses the UserWay Website Accessibility Widget powered by a dedicated accessibility server to improve its compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). The Northern Virginia Regional Commission accessibility menu can be enabled by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears on the corner of the page. After triggering the accessibility menu, please wait a moment for the accessibility menu to load. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission is committed to constantly improving the accessibility of its site. Despite efforts to make all pages and content on NOVA Region Dashboard fully accessible, some content may not have yet been adapted to the strictest accessibility standards as we identify appropriate technological solutions. If you are having trouble accessing content on NOVA Region Dashboard or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us . Browser Accessibility Information Many popular browsers contain built-in accessibility tools. Internet Explorer Accessibility Information Firefox Accessibility Information Chrome Accessibility Information Additional Plug-ins Adobe Reader is required to view and print PDF documents that appear on this website. To download this program for free, visit the Adobe website . To read PDF documents with a screen reader, please visit the Adobe Reader Accessibility website which provides useful tools and resources.

Language spoken and Limited English Proficiency LEP)information compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, Coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and data dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Language Spoken Key Facts Language Spoken Understanding the population with language barriers is particularly critical for the quick and accurate dissemination of health, safety, and public information. 2014 to 2018 Five-Year Estimates Key Facts: There are an estimated 584,000 people in Northern Virginia who live in a household where English is not spoken at home as the primary language. Of those, 31.2 percent of the population age five and over speak Spanish at home. Of those, the second most spoken language is Korean at 5.5 percent. There are an estimated 134,200 people in Northern Virginia who report speaking English less than well, making up 5.4 percent of the region's total population.

Northern Virginia town population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Race and Ethnicity of Towns Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Race and Ethnicity of Towns Overview A big story of the region is its diversification and majority-minority transition. There will soon be a day when the majority of people will belong to a minority group (any group other than non-Hispanic White alone). Much of this is attributed to the sizable increases in the number of Hispanics, Asians, and multiracial persons in the region. The following charts show the region's population by race and ethnicity, along with analyses of diversity for Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns. Upcoming Changes to Categorization of Race/Ethnicity Race/ethnicity data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau is the primary source of race and ethnicity demographics. The U.S. Census Bureau currently collects race and ethnicity data based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards from 1997. New race/ethnicity standards were adopted by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024, the first such adoption since 1997. Changes are coming to how race and ethnicity information will be collected and reported in the United States. Federal agencies, including the U.S. Census Bureau, must implement the new standards into data collections as soon as possible, but no later than March 28, 2029. The U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), a survey conducted annually, will be one of the first U.S. Census Bureau products to implement the new standards. As of July 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau was proposing to begin implementation of data collection in 2026 or 2027 for the ACS products. The 2030 Decennial Census will also reflect the new standards. The new race categories will offer individuals more precise ways to self-identify, especially for people who self-identify as multiracial or multiethnic. This will result in a more accurate representation of the U.S. population's race and ethnic characteristics. Changes will include a single combined question instead of separate race and ethnicity questions. Also, a new "Middle Eastern or North African" category will be added. These changes aim to better reflect the diversity of the American population. These changes will create challenges and implications for our understanding of the population and trends because the data will not be comparable to prior data. These modifications will alter the population size of subgroups. Specifically, the Census Bureau’s 2015 National Content Test results suggest anticipating increases in those identifying as Middle Eastern or North African, Hispanic or Latino, and Black or African American. Conversely, the number of individuals categorized as “white” or "some other race" is projected to decline. The combined race and ethnicity question is also expected to improve response rates for the race component on the decennial census and ACS forms. More information can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau's website . Decennial Census Data The Decennial Census is based on a survey of the entire population. It is conducted once a decade. The 2020 Decennial Census population was released on August 12, 2021. The Decennial Census regional, county, and city population data is shown in the interactive charts that follow. The 2020 Census had improvements to the design of the two separate questions for race and ethnicity, data processing, and coding, which enabled a more thorough and accurate depiction of how people prefer to self-identify. These changes along with actual demographic changes in the population result in the changes seen from 2010 to 2020 in the following data. For more details on the 2020 Census questionnaire changes and its impacts please view the U.S. Census Bureau's technical information . The following charts show the region's population by race and ethnicity, along with analyses of diversity for Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns. People of Hispanic/Latino origin are an ethnic group and may be of any race. To display Hispanic/Latino together with racial groups, it is common to cross-tabulate race and ethnicity to display Hispanic/Latino as a single category and the non-Hispanic race groups as categories that sum to the total population. This means of displaying race and ethnic data has become quite common and for available data, it is the closest categorization c ompared to the new race/ethnicity standards that were adopted by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024 (for more information see prior section ). With this classification, Hispanic/Latino is treated identically to major race groups and not independently of race. Also, Census Bureau research has shown that this classification is much less impacted by the 2020 Census questionnaire improvements. NVRC has migrated its demographic analysis to the cross-tabulated categories. The following charts, as well as the calculation of diversity, use the cross-tabulated categories.

Northern Virginia population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). People / Population Information on the people of the overall Northern Virginia region and it's county and cities. Overall Information on the people of Northern Virginia's incorporated towns . Towns

Northern Virginia town population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Foreign Born and Immigrants of Towns Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Foreign Born and Immigrant Population of Towns Overview The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is one of the most diverse in the country when taking into consideration the minority and foreign born (immigrant) population make-up. Northern Virginia contains a sizable amount of the metropolitan area's diverse population. The foreign born or immigrant population is transforming the region and many of it's towns. Note, the terms foreign born and immigrant are used interchangeably throughout the NOVA Region Dashboard. It is immigration that has been driving many of the major demographic trends in the region, including: School enrollment changes Sizable increases in the number of Hispanics and Asians Population and labor force growth About the Data and Proper Data Interpretation Foreign born population data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and the American Community Survey. All of the incorporated towns in Northern Virginia have a population of less than 65,000 persons. One-year ACS estimates do not exist for incorporated places with a population of less than 65,000. All incorporated towns and places in the United States are included in the five-year ACS estimates. It is important to note that any data sourced from the ACS is based on a small sample of the population of a place. The ACS estimates for places with smaller populations such as Clifton, Dumfries, Hamilton, Haymarket, Hillsboro, Lovettsville, Middleburg, and Quantico can be unreliable if the margin of error is large. The margin of error is shown in the popup that is displayed when hovering over a bar in the bar charts. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and is not considered statistically significant. In addition to the margin of error, the accuracy of the American Community Survey data for an area can be gaged by evaluating the trend. If the data has a clear trend then the data from one period to the next can be deemed reliable. Foreign Born Population - Current Foreign Born Population Share - Current The region's highest ranked county/city is Manassas Park City, ranking 8th in the nation at 36.8%. Herndon boasts one of the largest foreign-born populations in the country, at 42.2%. Statistically, Herndon is not significantly different from Manassas Park due to the data's margins of error. Towns that are estimated to have lower foreign born population shares than the Commonwealth of Virginia are all located within rural Loudoun County (Lovettsville, Purcellville, Hamilton, Middleburg, Round Hill), except for Clifton which is located in rural Fairfax County. Note, the town of Hillsboro's 2020-2024 estimate of 29.1% foreign born is considered highly unreliable. This is evidenced by the large rise compared to previous five-year periods, as shown in the Historic Compared to Current chart in the next section. It is additionally reinforced by the wide margin of error of +/-37.6%, which stems from the town's small survey sample size. Foreign Born Population - Historic Compared to Current Foreign Born Population Share - Historic Compared to Current Immigration has been driving many of the major demographic trends in the region. The foreign born population is transforming the region. Northern Virginia's population was 21.4% foreign born in 2000 and has risen to 28.2% currently. The largest transformations since 2000 have occurred in the towns of Dumfries, Haymarket, Leesburg, Lovettsville, and Occoquan. All of these incorporated towns are located in the outer-core, which is where the majority of the region's growth has occurred. Note, the American Community Survey is a survey with a small sample size. Due to the small size of many Northern Virginia towns and small sample size of the survey, the median household income of towns should be used with caution and the margin of error of the median household income should be taken into consideration. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and the data should be used with caution. The margin of error is shown in the popup that is displayed when hovering over a bar in the bar charts. In addition to the margin of error, the accuracy of the American Community Survey data for an area can be gaged by evaluating the trend. If the data does not have a clear trend, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and the data should be used with caution.