Transportation

Land Use

Land Use

Virginia continues to seek a balanced land development strategy, weighing the benefits of economic development with the costs of changing land use.

Why is Land Use Important?

There are both costs and benefits to land development. New developments are a sign of economic growth and prosperity, as they provide housing, increased jobs, and economic revitalization.  On the other hand, new developments can place burdens on existing infrastructures and services, resulting in increased congestion, commute times, and air and noise pollution. Increasingly, development may also be at the expense of farmland and open fields.

How is Virginia Doing?

High-density areas, high-density populations

A high-density area is defined here as one with 1,000 or more residents per square mile. Since 2000, Virginia has seen its high-density areas increase in percentage, in population and in land area. In 2010 (latest data available), 72.2 percent of Virginia's population lived in high-density areas, compared to 68.9 percent in 2000. The population rate in these high-density areas also increased: from 3,811.5 per square mile in 2000 to 3,947.7 in 2010. Finally, the amount of land taken up by high-density areas increased as well: from 3.2 percent to 3.7 percent of the Commonwealth’s total acreage.

Since 2000, the population rate in low-density areas -- those with fewer than 1,000 residents per square mile -- increased slightly from 57.6 to 58.5 people per square mile.

Changes in Population and High-Density Land since 2000,
by Virginia Region (as of 2010)

Region	Population Change (2010 Total)	% of Population in High-Density Areas   / Change in % of Population	Population per Square Mile in High-Density Areas	Change in % of High Density Acreage
Central	+ 211,560 (1,577,807 people)	66.7%   /   + 2.4%	+ 22.7 (3,262.2 people)	+ 0.6%
Eastern	+ 4,201 (141,676 people)	22.9%  /  + 1.3%	- 315.1 (2,060.6 people)	+ 0.2%
Hampton Roads	+ 90,192 (1,656,718 people)	88.9%   /  + 2.1%	+ 40.7 (4,370.3 people)	+ 1.0%
Northern	+ 506,387 (2,623,079 people)	88.9%   /  + 2.5%	+ 307.3 (4,875.1 people)	+ 3.6%
Southside	- 5,947 (380,886 people)	30.7%   /  + 0.2%	- 36.5 (2,541.6 people)	0.0%
Southwest	+ 3,832 (417,024 people)	28%   /  + 2.5%	- 28 (2,254.2 people)	+ 0.1%
Valley	+ 56,182 (479,535 people)	52.8%   /  + 6.3%	+ 46.6 (3,254.4 people)	+ 0.3%
West Central	+ 56,102 (724,299 people)	55.7%   /  + 1.0%	+ 173.6 (2,996.1 people)	+ 0.1%
Virginia	+ 922,509 (8,001,024 people)	72.2%   /  + 3.3%	+ 136.2 (3,947.7 people)	+ 0.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Not surprisingly, the largest concentration of population in high-density areas within Virginia are in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, with 88.9 and 88.8 percent (respectively) of the residents in these regions occupying high-density areas. The Eastern and Southwest regions had far fewer people in high-density areas -- 22.9 percent and 28.0 percent, respectively. However, the percentage of residents living in high-density areas did increase for every Virginia region from 2000 to 2010. And population in these areas also increased for all but the Eastern, Southside, and Southwest regions.

Developed land use

Another indicator of how efficiently land is being used examines population rates on land developed for residential, commercial, and industrial uses. Higher rates indicate a more compact and efficient settlement pattern, while lower values indicate a more dispersed one. Nationwide, the pattern since the 1980s has been toward fewer people per developed land acre -- e.g., more suburban development than urban growth.

In 2012 (latest data available), Virginia had 2.6 residents per developed acre, down from 3.0 in 1982. This rate is lower than the national average of 2.8, and ranks the Commonwealth 21st in the country. Virginia’s value is higher than peer states North Carolina (2.0 residents per developed acre) and Tennessee (2.1), but lower than Maryland (3.9). Leading state California had the highest population per developed acre at 6.1.

What is the State's Role?

States and localities work together to forecast what impact proposed land developments may have on area transportation systems and plans. They participate in site reviews and develop regulations (for example, requiring a minimum number of access points to main thoroughfares from a new neighborhood) to better control the impact new developments will have on local traffic and the road system.