Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC Metro Area
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area is made up of 18 counties and independent cities in Virginia and North Carolina; the largest are Virginia Beach city, Chesapeake city, and Norfolk city. About 1,797,213 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 1.0% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 1,797,213 1.0% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties and independent cities
- 18: 10 central, 8 outlying
- Land area
- 3,202 sq mi (8,293 km²)
- Time zone
- Eastern TimeUTC-05:00 in January; UTC-04:00 in July
- States
- Virginia, North Carolina
- Combined statistical area
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC
- CBSA code
- 47260
Counties and independent cities in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, largest first
| County or independent city | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach cityVirginia | Central | 453,737 | 25.2% |
| Chesapeake cityVirginia | Central | 255,332 | 14.2% |
| Norfolk cityVirginia | Central | 231,013 | 12.9% |
| Newport News cityVirginia | Central | 183,230 | 10.2% |
| Hampton cityVirginia | Central | 137,315 | 7.6% |
| Suffolk cityVirginia | Outlying | 104,699 | 5.8% |
| Portsmouth cityVirginia | Central | 96,777 | 5.4% |
| James City CountyVirginia | Outlying | 83,326 | 4.6% |
| York CountyVirginia | Central | 71,374 | 4.0% |
| Isle of Wight CountyVirginia | Central | 41,321 | 2.3% |
| Gloucester CountyVirginia | Central | 40,097 | 2.2% |
| Currituck CountyNorth Carolina | Outlying | 33,158 | 1.8% |
| Williamsburg cityVirginia | Outlying | 15,861 | 0.9% |
| Poquoson cityVirginia | Central | 13,292 | 0.7% |
| Camden CountyNorth Carolina | Outlying | 11,315 | 0.6% |
| Gates CountyNorth Carolina | Outlying | 10,234 | 0.6% |
| Mathews CountyVirginia | Outlying | 8,529 | 0.5% |
| Surry CountyVirginia | Outlying | 6,603 | 0.4% |
A central county or independent city holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. An outlying county or independent city is in the area because of commuting: at least a quarter of its workers have jobs in the central counties and independent cities, or at least a quarter of the people working there live in them. A county or independent city belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal cities, largest first
- Virginia Beach456,349 people
- Chesapeake252,583 people
- Norfolk233,596 people
- Newport News184,216 people
- Portsmouth97,190 people
OMB names the area after its largest principal cities. A principal city is the area’s largest city, plus any other city that is very large or a big job center, and smaller ones with at least as many jobs as working residents (2020 Census and commuting figures). People counts are American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC combined statistical area
OMB joins neighboring metro and micro areas into a combined statistical area when enough people commute between them. The other 2 areas in this one, largest first:
- Elizabeth City, NC Micro Area42,201 people
- Kill Devil Hills, NC Micro Area38,245 people
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county or independent city on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Elizabeth City, NC Micro Area35 mi south
- Kill Devil Hills, NC Micro Area56 mi south
- Richmond, VA Metro Area95 mi northwest
Before using this answer on a form
A metro or micro area is a statistical area that OMB draws for federal statistics. It is not a city, a local government or a mailing address, and it is not a measure of urban and rural: whole counties count, rural parts included. Programs that use metro areas, such as housing income limits or wage rates, can use their own version of these lists; check the program’s own list for an address.
Find the metro area where you are now, find your county, or see every metro and micro area by population.