Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Virginia

Many people choose not to leave the state they were raised in for reasons ranging from wanting to be close to family, to not having the resources to leave, to sticking with a lower cost of living.

In order to determine where people stay put in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Virginia using data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents who were born in the state according to the latest data, which is 2024 five-year estimates. The percentage of residents who were born in another state, a U.S. territory, and another country is also included.

Read on to find out where the most loyal Virginia residents live.

50. Rockingham County
- Population: 85,600
- Born in Virginia: 57,762 (67.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 21,453 (25.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,068 (1.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 5,317 (6.2% of population)

49. Madison County
- Population: 14,044
- Born in Virginia: 9,501 (67.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,946 (28.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 155 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 442 (3.1% of population)

48. Emporia
- Population: 5,547
- Born in Virginia: 3,773 (68.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,502 (27.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 131 (2.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 141 (2.5% of population)

47. Mecklenburg County
- Population: 30,516
- Born in Virginia: 20,761 (68.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,688 (28.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 100 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 967 (3.2% of population)

46. Franklin
- Population: 8,250
- Born in Virginia: 5,649 (68.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,488 (30.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 46 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 67 (0.8% of population)

45. Buena Vista
- Population: 6,593
- Born in Virginia: 4,538 (68.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,996 (30.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 2 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 57 (0.9% of population)

44. Wise County
- Population: 35,448
- Born in Virginia: 24,422 (68.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,264 (29.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 223 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 539 (1.5% of population)

43. Greensville County
- Population: 11,275
- Born in Virginia: 7,802 (69.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,890 (25.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 114 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 469 (4.2% of population)

42. Botetourt County
- Population: 34,004
- Born in Virginia: 23,579 (69.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 9,479 (27.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 287 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 659 (1.9% of population)

41. Wythe County
- Population: 28,188
- Born in Virginia: 19,575 (69.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,096 (28.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 124 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 393 (1.4% of population)

40. Radford
- Population: 16,726
- Born in Virginia: 11,660 (69.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,622 (27.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 98 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 346 (2.1% of population)

39. Danville
- Population: 42,214
- Born in Virginia: 29,525 (69.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,847 (25.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 357 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,485 (3.5% of population)

38. Floyd County
- Population: 15,593
- Born in Virginia: 10,929 (70.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,129 (26.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 125 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 410 (2.6% of population)

37. Norton
- Population: 3,577
- Born in Virginia: 2,512 (70.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 934 (26.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 120 (3.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 11 (0.3% of population)

36. Augusta County
- Population: 78,033
- Born in Virginia: 55,104 (70.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 19,720 (25.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,366 (1.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,843 (2.4% of population)

35. Prince Edward County
- Population: 21,996
- Born in Virginia: 15,549 (70.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,444 (24.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 238 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 765 (3.5% of population)

34. Henry County
- Population: 49,980
- Born in Virginia: 35,555 (71.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 12,572 (25.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 544 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,309 (2.6% of population)

33. Bath County
- Population: 4,100
- Born in Virginia: 2,946 (71.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,040 (25.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 90 (2.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 24 (0.6% of population)

32. Essex County
- Population: 10,623
- Born in Virginia: 7,641 (71.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,385 (22.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 159 (1.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 438 (4.1% of population)

31. Dinwiddie County
- Population: 28,191
- Born in Virginia: 20,332 (72.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,633 (23.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 277 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 949 (3.4% of population)

30. Southampton County
- Population: 17,964
- Born in Virginia: 12,958 (72.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,486 (25.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 174 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 346 (1.9% of population)

29. Giles County
- Population: 16,557
- Born in Virginia: 11,983 (72.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,199 (25.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 23 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 352 (2.1% of population)

28. Buchanan County
- Population: 19,415
- Born in Virginia: 14,054 (72.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,120 (26.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 81 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 160 (0.8% of population)

27. Campbell County
- Population: 55,312
- Born in Virginia: 40,234 (72.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 12,832 (23.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 353 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,893 (3.4% of population)

26. Halifax County
- Population: 33,639
- Born in Virginia: 24,504 (72.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,399 (25.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 201 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 535 (1.6% of population)

25. Pulaski County
- Population: 33,687
- Born in Virginia: 24,591 (73.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,456 (25.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 188 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 452 (1.3% of population)

24. Amherst County
- Population: 31,485
- Born in Virginia: 23,028 (73.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,730 (24.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 179 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 548 (1.7% of population)

23. King William County
- Population: 18,593
- Born in Virginia: 13,654 (73.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,304 (23.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 197 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 438 (2.4% of population)

22. Buckingham County
- Population: 16,976
- Born in Virginia: 12,485 (73.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,079 (24.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 102 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 310 (1.8% of population)

21. Brunswick County
- Population: 15,841
- Born in Virginia: 11,759 (74.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,500 (22.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 124 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 458 (2.9% of population)

20. Appomattox County
- Population: 16,610
- Born in Virginia: 12,384 (74.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,879 (23.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 61 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 286 (1.7% of population)

19. King and Queen County
- Population: 6,695
- Born in Virginia: 5,007 (74.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,475 (22.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 121 (1.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 92 (1.4% of population)

18. Lunenburg County
- Population: 12,016
- Born in Virginia: 9,011 (75.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,480 (20.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 36 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 489 (4.1% of population)

17. Surry County
- Population: 6,549
- Born in Virginia: 4,921 (75.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,472 (22.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 29 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 127 (1.9% of population)

16. Nottoway County
- Population: 15,597
- Born in Virginia: 11,731 (75.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,279 (21.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 114 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 473 (3.0% of population)

15. Sussex County
- Population: 10,765
- Born in Virginia: 8,102 (75.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,481 (23.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 72 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 110 (1.0% of population)

14. Richmond County
- Population: 9,095
- Born in Virginia: 6,893 (75.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,730 (19.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 3 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 469 (5.2% of population)

13. Amelia County
- Population: 13,462
- Born in Virginia: 10,212 (75.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,927 (21.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 65 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 258 (1.9% of population)

12. Covington
- Population: 5,680
- Born in Virginia: 4,309 (75.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,118 (19.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 20 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 233 (4.1% of population)

11. Charlotte County
- Population: 11,422
- Born in Virginia: 8,666 (75.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,529 (22.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 8 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 219 (1.9% of population)

10. Russell County
- Population: 25,538
- Born in Virginia: 19,390 (75.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,827 (22.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 123 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 198 (0.8% of population)

9. Cumberland County
- Population: 9,818
- Born in Virginia: 7,463 (76.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,084 (21.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 107 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 164 (1.7% of population)

8. Pittsylvania County
- Population: 59,856
- Born in Virginia: 45,724 (76.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 12,795 (21.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 336 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,001 (1.7% of population)

7. Smyth County
- Population: 29,420
- Born in Virginia: 22,501 (76.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,387 (21.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 108 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 424 (1.4% of population)

6. Page County
- Population: 23,727
- Born in Virginia: 18,150 (76.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,728 (19.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 116 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 733 (3.1% of population)

5. Charles City County
- Population: 6,627
- Born in Virginia: 5,085 (76.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,339 (20.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 60 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 143 (2.2% of population)

4. Highland County
- Population: 2,296
- Born in Virginia: 1,783 (77.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 481 (20.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 32 (1.4% of population)

3. Alleghany County
- Population: 14,859
- Born in Virginia: 11,639 (78.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,933 (19.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 142 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 145 (1.0% of population)

2. Dickenson County
- Population: 13,733
- Born in Virginia: 10,878 (79.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,784 (20.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 39 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 32 (0.2% of population)

1. Craig County
- Population: 4,856
- Born in Virginia: 3,860 (79.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 909 (18.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 54 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 33 (0.7% of population)