Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Virginia
Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Virginia
In certain corners of the U.S., the only way you’ll ever be considered a local is if you were born there. Elsewhere, particularly in major metropolitan centers, the constant influx of new businesses, college students, and families can transform neighborhoods every few years and certainly decade over decade.
Americans change their addresses at higher rates than most other countries, but that “move, move, move” mentality may be shifting. In 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that only 11.2% of respondents had moved within the last year. Additionally, 72% of Americans reported living in or close to the city they grew up in. To learn more about where people are staying put, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Virginia using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents that were born in the state as of 2019.
Keep reading to discover which counties in your state have the most born-and-bred residents.
#30. Buena Vista city
- Born in Virginia: 4,736 (73.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,669 (25.7% of population)
--- Midwest (1.4%), Northeast (4.5%), South (8.5%), West (11.4%)
- Born in another country: 68 (1.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.8%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)
#29. Cumberland County
- Born in Virginia: 7,182 (73.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,448 (24.9% of population)
--- Midwest (2.5%), Northeast (10.1%), South (9.2%), West (3.1%)
- Born in another country: 100 (1.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.7%), Latin America (0.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#28. King William County
- Born in Virginia: 12,328 (73.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,913 (23.4% of population)
--- Midwest (3.2%), Northeast (7.9%), South (10.0%), West (2.3%)
- Born in another country: 339 (2.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.4%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.5%), Latin America (0.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#27. Norton city
- Born in Virginia: 2,951 (74.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 833 (21.0% of population)
--- Midwest (4.5%), Northeast (1.9%), South (14.2%), West (0.4%)
- Born in another country: 146 (3.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (3.7%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#26. Appomattox County
- Born in Virginia: 11,680 (74.4% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,803 (24.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.8%), Northeast (8.6%), South (9.3%), West (3.5%)
- Born in another country: 193 (1.2% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.1%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (0.7%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)
#25. Madison County
- Born in Virginia: 9,811 (74.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,882 (21.9% of population)
--- Midwest (4.3%), Northeast (7.9%), South (8.8%), West (0.7%)
- Born in another country: 390 (3.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.8%), Latin America (1.6%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.1%)
#24. Charlotte County
- Born in Virginia: 9,007 (74.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,919 (24.2% of population)
--- Midwest (1.7%), Northeast (10.6%), South (11.2%), West (0.7%)
- Born in another country: 93 (0.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.2%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#23. Craig County
- Born in Virginia: 3,829 (74.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,269 (24.8% of population)
--- Midwest (3.5%), Northeast (4.1%), South (15.1%), West (2.1%)
- Born in another country: 12 (0.2% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.0%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)
#22. Franklin city
- Born in Virginia: 6,114 (75.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,890 (23.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.0%), Northeast (3.7%), South (16.5%), West (1.0%)
- Born in another country: 111 (1.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.9%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#21. Emporia city
- Born in Virginia: 4,088 (75.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,154 (21.2% of population)
--- Midwest (1.2%), Northeast (3.4%), South (15.6%), West (0.3%)
- Born in another country: 150 (2.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.4%), Asia (0.1%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (2.1%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#20. Bath County
- Born in Virginia: 3,242 (75.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 974 (22.6% of population)
--- Midwest (0.8%), Northeast (7.8%), South (6.3%), West (7.6%)
- Born in another country: 91 (2.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.7%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (1.2%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.0%)
#19. Surry County
- Born in Virginia: 4,912 (75.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,523 (23.3% of population)
--- Midwest (4.1%), Northeast (7.9%), South (9.0%), West (2.3%)
- Born in another country: 71 (1.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.6%), Latin America (0.1%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#18. Amherst County
- Born in Virginia: 24,084 (75.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 6,963 (21.9% of population)
--- Midwest (2.6%), Northeast (6.4%), South (10.7%), West (1.7%)
- Born in another country: 570 (1.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.4%), Latin America (0.5%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#17. Essex County
- Born in Virginia: 8,378 (76.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,429 (22.1% of population)
--- Midwest (1.0%), Northeast (9.7%), South (10.2%), West (0.7%)
- Born in another country: 171 (1.6% of population)
--- Africa (0.5%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (0.3%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#16. Brunswick County
- Born in Virginia: 12,630 (76.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,428 (20.8% of population)
--- Midwest (2.2%), Northeast (6.1%), South (11.7%), West (0.7%)
- Born in another country: 288 (1.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (1.1%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#15. Alleghany County
- Born in Virginia: 11,602 (76.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,326 (21.9% of population)
--- Midwest (2.1%), Northeast (3.3%), South (15.4%), West (1.1%)
- Born in another country: 190 (1.3% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.4%), Latin America (0.6%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#14. Page County
- Born in Virginia: 18,322 (77.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 4,984 (21.0% of population)
--- Midwest (3.1%), Northeast (4.8%), South (10.4%), West (2.4%)
- Born in another country: 388 (1.6% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.4%), Latin America (0.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.1%)
#13. Buckingham County
- Born in Virginia: 13,162 (77.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,558 (20.9% of population)
--- Midwest (1.8%), Northeast (7.8%), South (8.4%), West (2.7%)
- Born in another country: 233 (1.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (0.9%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#12. Smyth County
- Born in Virginia: 23,754 (77.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 6,460 (21.0% of population)
--- Midwest (2.3%), Northeast (2.9%), South (14.7%), West (1.1%)
- Born in another country: 429 (1.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.3%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (0.9%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#11. Halifax County
- Born in Virginia: 26,759 (77.4% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 6,913 (20.0% of population)
--- Midwest (2.6%), Northeast (5.5%), South (10.1%), West (1.7%)
- Born in another country: 712 (2.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.4%), Asia (0.8%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (0.7%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#10. Nottoway County
- Born in Virginia: 11,956 (77.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,768 (17.9% of population)
--- Midwest (2.6%), Northeast (4.6%), South (9.5%), West (1.1%)
- Born in another country: 589 (3.8% of population)
--- Africa (1.2%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (2.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#9. Dinwiddie County
- Born in Virginia: 22,083 (77.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 5,231 (18.4% of population)
--- Midwest (2.9%), Northeast (5.2%), South (9.2%), West (1.1%)
- Born in another country: 791 (2.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.4%), Latin America (1.6%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#8. Wythe County
- Born in Virginia: 22,411 (77.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 6,131 (21.3% of population)
--- Midwest (2.5%), Northeast (3.9%), South (13.1%), West (1.8%)
- Born in another country: 168 (0.6% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (0.2%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#7. Pittsylvania County
- Born in Virginia: 47,716 (77.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 12,320 (20.1% of population)
--- Midwest (2.0%), Northeast (5.3%), South (11.3%), West (1.2%)
- Born in another country: 1,076 (1.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (1.1%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#6. Sussex County
- Born in Virginia: 8,871 (78.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,195 (19.3% of population)
--- Midwest (2.8%), Northeast (5.0%), South (9.6%), West (1.7%)
- Born in another country: 263 (2.3% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (1.4%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#5. Russell County
- Born in Virginia: 21,242 (78.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 5,583 (20.6% of population)
--- Midwest (2.9%), Northeast (1.1%), South (15.7%), West (0.7%)
- Born in another country: 248 (0.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.3%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#4. Buchanan County
- Born in Virginia: 17,130 (78.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 4,209 (19.3% of population)
--- Midwest (2.4%), Northeast (1.3%), South (14.8%), West (0.7%)
- Born in another country: 383 (1.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.7%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (0.3%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#3. Amelia County
- Born in Virginia: 10,247 (79.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,485 (19.2% of population)
--- Midwest (5.4%), Northeast (3.8%), South (8.3%), West (1.6%)
- Born in another country: 149 (1.2% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.8%), Latin America (0.4%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#2. Dickenson County
- Born in Virginia: 11,825 (80.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,853 (19.3% of population)
--- Midwest (4.3%), Northeast (1.3%), South (12.9%), West (0.8%)
- Born in another country: 55 (0.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (0.1%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#1. Charles City County
- Born in Virginia: 5,695 (81.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,138 (16.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.9%), Northeast (4.6%), South (7.4%), West (1.1%)
- Born in another country: 134 (1.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.8%), Latin America (0.6%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)