Recent population estimates show that Gloucester’s population is growing slowly, while that in Mathews is declining.

Hidden in the estimates are the factors that create population change. Demographers call one of them “net migration” which is the balance left after subtracting the number of people who leave a locality from those who move in.

Net migration, in both Gloucester and Mathews, is positive, and has been for some years.

Estimates are created at the Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. According to the center, Gloucester’s increase of 450 people since the 2020 Census was driven by a net migration of 843 people, offset by an excess of 393 deaths over births, for a total growth of 450 people

Mathews County also had a positive net migration of 126 people; however, 283 more deaths than births have driven the population decline.

The Cooper Center analyzed population change in Virginia (slow growth) since 2020. An article by UVA demographer ...