The population in Gloucester grows slowly, and that in Mathews continues to decline, according to state estimates released on Jan. 25 by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service in Charlottesville. Both counties continue in a trend noted by annual estimates issued during the decade.

The new figures estimate that Gloucester County had 37,169 residents as of July 1, 2017. This represents a growth of 0.8 percent since the 2010 Census.

Components of change are natural increase (surplus of births over deaths) and net migration (people moving to a locality compared to those moving away).

Gloucester had 69 more births than deaths in the period, and net migration of 242, according to the estimates.

The situation is reversed in Mathews, where the population is estimated to have decreased by 327 people, or -3.6 percent, from 8,979 in 2010 to 8,651 in 2017.

There were 421 more deaths than births in the county during that seven-year period, while net migration was figured at +94 people, th...