Virginia’s population pegged at 8.3 million

Published December 30, 2013 by Robert Powell, III

Virginia’s population rose less than 1 percent in the past year to an estimated 8.3 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The commonwealth added an estimated 73,777 residents from July 1, 2012 to the same date in 2013, a growth rate of 0.9 percent.

Since 2010, when the last national census was conducted, Virginia’s population has increased by nearly 260,000 people, an increase of 3.2 percent.

Virginia remains the nation’s 12th largest state in population behind California, 38.3 million; Texas, 26.4 million; New York, 19.7 million; Florida, 19.6 million; Illinois, 12.9 million; Pennsylvania, 12.8 million; Ohio, 11.6 million; Georgia, 10 million; Michigan, 9.9 million; North Carolina, 9.8 million; and New Jersey, 8.9 million.

In addition to North Carolina, the estimated populations of neighboring states and the District of Columbia are: D.C., 646,449; Kentucky, 4.4 million; Maryland, 5.9 million; and Tennessee, 6.5 million.

The Census Bureau estimates that on New Year’s Day the nation will have a population of 317.3 million, an increase of 0.7 percent since Jan. 1, 2013.