• independent city
  • FIPS 51550
  • Largest town: Chesapeake

Chesapeake city, Virginia

Chesapeake city had 254,997 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 338.5 square miles of land. It ranks 7th of 133 in Virginia by population and 57th by land area.

Population
254,997
#7 of 133 in Virginia · #288 in US
Area
338.5 sq mi
#57 of 133 in Virginia · #2,717 in US
Density
753 / sq mi
#42 of 133 in Virginia · #203 in US
Median household income
$91,582
#25 of 133 in Virginia · #223 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

Chesapeake city within Virginia. Pin: Richmond.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Chesapeake city

Chesapeake city population, land area and income

Chesapeake city had 254,997 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 338.5 square miles of land. It ranks 7th of 133 in Virginia by population and 57th by land area. That works out to 753.4 people per square mile, 7.8 times the US average of 96.3, and in the top tenth nationally.

The median county-equivalent in Virginia has 27,800 residents, so Chesapeake city is 9.2 times that size.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $91,582 is in the top tenth among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

254,997

3144th1st

288th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

338 sq mi

3144th1st

2717th of 3,144 (US)

Density

753.4 / sq mi

3144th1st

203rd of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$91,582

3143rd1st

223rd of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Virginia (133)

Population

254,997

133rd1st

7th of 133 (VA)

Land area

338 sq mi

133rd1st

57th of 133 (VA)

Density

753.4 / sq mi

133rd1st

42nd of 133 (VA)

Median household income

$91,582

133rd1st

25th of 133 (VA)

How Chesapeake city's population changed since 2020

Chesapeake city gained 5,271 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a rise of 2.1%. That ranks 57th of 133 in Virginia for growth. The median Virginia county changed by +1.3%, and the state as a whole by +2.0%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, Chesapeake city recorded 12,206 births and 9,176 deaths, a natural change of +3,030. Net international migration added +1,831 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to +710. The largest single component was natural change, which added 3,030 people.

249.7k2020251.7k2021252.5k2022254.0k2023255.0k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
12,206
Deaths
9,176
Net international migration
+1,831
Net domestic migration
+710
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+1,030

Where Chesapeake city is

The Census internal point of Chesapeake city is at 36.679400, -76.301800. It sits in UTM zone 18N. The map shades Virginia's 133 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Chesapeake city outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Martinsville city: +2.7%Norton city: -5.5%Charlottesville city: -3.6%Winchester city: -0.7%Bristol city: -5.7%Manassas Park city: -3.2%Fluvanna County: +5.3%Clarke County: +5.3%Lunenburg County: +0.9%Colonial Heights city: +2.8%Franklin city: +2.8%Lexington city: +6.7%Petersburg city: +2.0%Suffolk city: +8.8%Emporia city: -5.1%Middlesex County: +3.2%Fairfax city: +8.9%Fredericksburg city: +7.1%Floyd County: +1.2%Radford city: +7.2%Waynesboro city: +5.5%Hopewell city: -0.2%Staunton city: +2.1%Buena Vista city: -0.6%Covington city: -1.4%Poquoson city: +3.1%Madison County: +2.8%Falls Church city: +2.4%Franklin County: +2.1%Mecklenburg County: +1.8%Smyth County: -2.2%Pittsylvania County: -1.6%Frederick County: +6.7%Russell County: -1.3%Nottoway County: -0.1%Scott County: -0.9%Mathews County: +1.0%Stafford County: +7.1%Goochland County: +13.5%Henrico County: +1.1%Caroline County: +8.2%Prince George County: +1.2%Prince William County: +2.9%Cumberland County: +4.0%Essex County: +0.8%Fairfax County: +1.1%Henry County: -2.9%Carroll County: +0.3%Grayson County: -0.1%Louisa County: +11.4%James City County: +5.5%Albemarle County: +4.2%Lynchburg city: +1.7%King William County: +7.3%Charles City County: -2.7%Northumberland County: +4.7%Alexandria city: -0.0%Salem city: +2.0%Galax city: +0.3%Isle of Wight County: +5.8%Newport News city: -1.6%Tazewell County: -3.8%Amherst County: +1.1%Manassas city: +2.2%Buckingham County: +1.7%Shenandoah County: +2.7%Richmond city: +3.0%Alleghany County: -3.7%Culpeper County: +6.4%Warren County: +4.1%Northampton County: -1.7%Southampton County: -0.1%Portsmouth city: -1.5%Rockingham County: +4.6%Orange County: +7.1%Sussex County: -0.4%Bland County: -1.1%Chesapeake city: +2.1%Harrisonburg city: -1.0%Powhatan County: +6.4%Virginia Beach city: -1.1%Dinwiddie County: +2.5%Campbell County: -0.5%Gloucester County: +3.7%Greene County: +5.5%Page County: -0.0%Halifax County: -1.4%Hanover County: +4.6%Buchanan County: -8.0%Highland County: +4.8%Surry County: +0.4%Westmoreland County: +3.9%Wythe County: -0.8%Greensville County: -2.2%Roanoke city: -2.0%Loudoun County: +4.9%Spotsylvania County: +8.1%Brunswick County: -0.5%King George County: +7.4%Bedford County: +3.3%Patrick County: -1.6%Lancaster County: +1.4%Nelson County: +0.2%Montgomery County: -0.6%Amelia County: +3.4%York County: +1.7%Norfolk city: -2.8%Williamsburg city: +3.6%Bath County: -2.8%Accomack County: +0.0%Washington County: +0.4%Pulaski County: -0.7%Rockbridge County: -1.3%Roanoke County: +0.4%Wise County: -3.0%Fauquier County: +3.9%Craig County: -1.0%Charlotte County: -2.4%Richmond County: +3.3%Lee County: -1.5%Chesterfield County: +6.7%Danville city: -1.4%King and Queen County: +2.4%Prince Edward County: +1.7%Hampton city: +0.2%Appomattox County: +4.9%Botetourt County: +1.5%Arlington County: +0.4%Rappahannock County: +2.1%New Kent County: +17.7%Augusta County: +1.3%Giles County: -1.5%Dickenson County: -4.7%
Change 2020 to 2024
  1. < -1.4%
  2. < +0.3%
  3. < +2.1%
  4. < +4.7%
  5. ≥ +4.7%
no data

Orange pin: Chesapeake city internal point. Dark pin: Richmond.

Internal point

Decimal
36.679400, -76.301800
DMS
36°40'45.84"N 76°18'6.48"W
UTM
18N 383683.6E 4060097.5N
Geohash
dq98xtq8z
Plus code
8785MMHX+Q7

Towns in Chesapeake city

One incorporated place of 1,000+ people has residents in Chesapeake city, 254,997 people together, or 100% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Chesapeake city; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Chesapeake with 254,997.

  1. 01Chesapeake254,997
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Chesapeake city

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 6 neighbors for Chesapeake city, including 2 across a state line. The most populous is Virginia Beach city, VA, with 454,808 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Richmond and the nearest big city

Richmond is 86.1 miles NW of Chesapeake city's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Chesapeake, VA (population 254,997), 0.0 miles away.

Chesapeake city FIPS code

The FIPS code of Chesapeake city is 51550: state code 51 for Virginia plus independent city code 550. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $91,582.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Chesapeake city, Virginia?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 254,997. That is up 5,271 people (2.1%) from the July 2020 estimate of 249,726.

What is the FIPS code of Chesapeake city?

51550. The first two digits (51) are Virginia; the last three (550) identify the independent city.

What is the largest town in Chesapeake city?

Chesapeake, with 254,997 residents inside Chesapeake city in 2024.

Which counties border Chesapeake city?

6 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Virginia Beach city, VA; Norfolk city, VA; Suffolk city, VA; Portsmouth city, VA; Currituck County, NC; Camden County, NC.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.