Population
170,803
2025
+8.3% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Stafford County, VA: population growth, jobs and income
Stafford County gained 2,015 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+1.2%).
Stafford County had an estimated 170,803 residents in 2025, up 8.3% (13,040 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Virginia as a whole (+2.8%), and the 15th fastest growth of 133 counties in Virginia.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Data file: the tables in CSV and Excel, no PDF. 3 counties: adds Prince William County and Charles County.
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In the Stafford County report
One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Stafford County plus 15 more figures, ranked against Virginia and the U.S. Three of the 15, free:
- Median gross rent$2,020/mo2020–24
- Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes4.3%2020–24
- New homes permitted, last 12 months672Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
- Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
- Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
- IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
- IRS net movers: people, households and rateIn the report
- Households and housing unitsIn the report
- Homes built since 2010, share of all homesIn the report
- Private business establishmentsIn the report
- Residents who moved in; 3-year net migration rateIn the report
What's inside: 5 pages
- 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
- 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
- 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
- 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
- 5 Every source and the methods
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
+725
2025
4.2 per 1,000 residents
+6,308 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Unemployment rate
3.3%
2025
+0.7 pts since 2019
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2025. Annual average unemployment rate.
New homes permitted (calendar 2025)
450
2025
−53.9% since 2021
2.6 per 1,000 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Median household income
$137,807
2020–24
+22.8% since 2016–20
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24. American Community Survey 5-year estimate.
Private-sector employment
35,383
2023
+4.6% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration added 725 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out. Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +1,228.
Private employers had 35,383 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.6% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).
Unemployment averaged 3.3% in 2025, 0.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Builders were authorized to start 450 new homes in 2025, or 2.6 per 1,000 residents.
Median household income was $137,807 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +22.8% since 2016–20.
Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 290th.
Part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.
Get Stafford County’s next numbers by email
Email me when Stafford County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Stafford County population by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 170,803 | +2,015 |
| 2024 | 168,788 | +2,994 |
| 2023 | 165,794 | +2,568 |
| 2022 | 163,226 | +1,601 |
| 2021 | 161,625 | +3,862 |
| 2020 | 157,763 | – |
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.
What drove the change in Stafford County
Stafford County grew by 13,040 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+6,308).
| Component | 2025 | 2020–25 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural changebirths minus deaths | +786 | +4,020 | |
| International migrationfrom and to other countries | +503 | +2,863 | |
| Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties | +725 | +6,308 | |
| Census adjustmentbalancing residual | +1 | −151 | |
| Total change | +2,015 | +13,040 |
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
| Measure | In Virginia | Among U.S. counties |
|---|---|---|
| Population growth | 15th of 133 | 290th of 3,107 |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents | 68th of 133 | 1,170th of 3,108 |
| Private-sector job growth | 52nd of 133 | 1,267th of 3,092 |
| Median household income | 5th of 133 | 18th of 3,107 |
| Lowest unemployment rate | 50th of 133 | 737th of 3,108 |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents | 79th of 132 | 1,253rd of 3,005 |
1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.
Get the county report — $99
The County Growth and Demographics Report for Stafford 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. It has everything on this page plus 15 more figures for Stafford County, ranked against Virginia and the U.S. Pay once, no subscription.
Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Prince William County and Charles County reports too, $149 for all 3.
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Neighbouring counties
Over 2020–25, Stafford County's population change (+8.3%) was ahead of 3 of its 8 neighbouring counties and behind 5.
Its median household income ($137,807, 2020–24) is higher than in all 8 of its neighbouring counties.
| County | Population2025 | Population change2020–25 | Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | Median household income2020–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford County, VA This county | 170,803 | +8.3% | 4.2 | 2.6 | $137,807 |
| Fredericksburg, VA | 30,393 | +8.6% | −1.7 | 0.8 | $86,071 |
| Spotsylvania County, VA | 155,388 | +10.5% | 14.2 | 4.4 | $112,738 |
| Prince William County, VA | 502,966 | +4.2% | −6.1 | 2.7 | $131,402 |
| King George County, VA | 29,646 | +10.5% | 22.4 | 3.1 | $116,884 |
| Caroline County, VA | 34,413 | +11.3% | 21.9 | 6.5 | $87,407 |
| Charles County, MD | 176,593 | +5.9% | 9.3 | 5.3 | $122,816 |
| Fauquier County, VA | 76,503 | +4.8% | 7.0 | 5.5 | $130,189 |
| Culpeper County, VA | 57,666 | +9.3% | 8.1 | 6.3 | $100,049 |
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.
Compare side by side:
Questions
Is Stafford County growing?
Yes. Its population grew 8.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 13,040 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Most recently, between 2024 and 2025 it gained 2,015 residents (+1.2%). Virginia as a whole changed +2.8% over the same years. That ranks 15th of 133 counties in Virginia for population growth.
How many people moved to Stafford County?
On net, about 725 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate). Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +1,228.
What is the unemployment rate in Stafford County?
It averaged 3.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).
What is the population of Stafford County?
About 170,803 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in Stafford County?
Private employers there had 35,383 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.6% 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.
Stafford County data alerts
Email me when Stafford County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
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.