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James City County, VA: population growth, jobs and income

James City County gained 430 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.5%).

James City County had an estimated 83,326 residents in 2025, up 6.2% (4,840 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Virginia as a whole (+2.8%), and the 28th fastest growth of 133 counties in Virginia.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the James City County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for James City County, ranked against Virginia and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,552/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes7.9%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months3162025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 602 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 25,793 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −9.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.4% in 2025, 0.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 225 new homes in 2025, or 2.7 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $109,985 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +20.0% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 479th.

Part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area.

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James City County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202583,326+430
202482,896+527
202382,369+911
202281,458+1,430
202180,028+1,542
202078,486–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in James City County

James City County grew by 4,840 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+4,947).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−233−832
International migrationfrom and to other countries+61+749
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+602+4,947
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0−24
Total change+430+4,840

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn VirginiaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth28th of 133479th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents49th of 133802nd of 3,108
Private-sector job growth121st of 1332,788th of 3,092
Median household income19th of 13397th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate59th of 133860th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents76th of 1321,226th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for James City County, VA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, James City County's population change (+6.2%) was ahead of 7 of its 9 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (New Kent County and Isle of Wight County).

Only New Kent County had a higher median household income (2020–24) among its 9 neighbouring counties; James City County's was $109,985.

James City County, VA and its 9 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
James City County, VA This county83,326+6.2%7.22.7$109,985
Williamsburg, VA15,861+2.6%−9.21.4$75,604
Surry County, VA6,603+0.8%4.15.3$78,041
Gloucester County, VA40,097+3.5%5.43.0$84,306
New Kent County, VA28,022+21.2%28.610.5$123,314
York County, VA71,374+1.6%−0.42.9$109,956
Charles City County, VA6,623−1.8%13.13.6$75,417
King and Queen County, VA6,743+2.4%8.95.3$70,469
Newport News, VA183,230−1.5%−7.10.7$69,634
Isle of Wight County, VA41,321+6.7%12.87.3$95,241

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 133 Virginia counties · Every state

Questions

Is James City County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 6.2% between 2020 and 2025, about 4,840 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Virginia as a whole changed +2.8% over the same years. That ranks 28th of 133 counties in Virginia for population growth.

How many people moved to James City County?

On net, about 602 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in James City County?

It averaged 3.4% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of James City County?

About 83,326 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in James City County?

Private employers there had 25,793 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −9.5% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Virginia

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Virginia county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

James City County data alerts

Email me when James City County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for James City County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.