DANVILLE, Va. – Danville and Pittsylvania County didn’t enjoy the population gains posted in other parts of the state over the past ten years. That’s according to U.S. Census figures released on Thursday.

Virginia continued its trend toward a top-heavy state as population growth in the northern part of the state outpaced the rest of the commonwealth.

The long-awaited census figures, which will be used to redraw the state’s legislative boundaries, recorded a population of 8,631,393 Virginians. That’s 7.9% higher than 2010, when the state narrowly cracked the 8 million mark. The increase slightly exceeded the national average of 7.4%.

Among Virginia’s 10 most populous localities, the fastest growth occurred in Prince William and Loudoun counties, in the outer suburbs of the nation’s capital. Prince William’s population increased 20 percent, and surpassed Virginia Beach as the state’s second most populous locality.

That’s in sharp contrast to Danville and Pittsylvania County, where the numbers fell. Pittsylvania County lost about 3,000 residents over the past decade, while Danville’s population declined by 465. The drop in Danville was far less than the previous census count, due in large part to housing gains in the River District.

In southwest Virginia, all 15 counties west of Montgomery County lost population.

In fact, on the state’s southern border, every locality west of Suffolk lost population.

In central Virginia, the city of Richmond and the main suburban counties of Henrico and Chesterfield all grew faster than the statewide average.

Racial data shows that the state has become more racially diverse and less white, mirroring the national trend.