Alexandria is a bigger and more diverse place than it was 10 years ago, according to initial data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

Alexandria has grown by 19,501 since the 2010 U.S. Census, bringing the city of Alexandria’s population to 159,467. That’s a 13.3% increase in population and a faster growth rate than the region experienced between 2000 and 2010, when the population grew by less than 8%.

Alexandria’s growing density was a central issue in this summer’s Democratic mayoral primary, and more frequent flooding in several areas has upset many residents that Alexandria’s infrastructure has not kept up with its population growth.

For the first time, the census shows that Alexandria is a “majority minority” – those who identify solely as Caucasian have increased in number, but decreased as a proportion of the total population. The population of those who identify as Black has also increased in number, but has decreased as a percentage of the total population.

The population of the Hispanic or Latino community grew from 22,524 to 29,372 between 2010 and 2020, an increase of approximately 30%.

The following charts are from the City of Alexandria’s analysis of 2020 data, available in full here.

“The Bureau’s Crystal City Area Census Bureau, which includes all of Alexandria, was the only such bureau in the Washington, D.C. metro area to count 100% of households at the end of data collection on 15 October 2020. Because nearly 74% of Alexandria households completed the census questionnaire by mail or online, enumerators had to visit fewer households in person,” according to information released by city officials.

The number of housing units in the city increased by 8,103, with an average household size of 2.11, an increase from the 2010 average household size of 2.06. (See where current developments are under construction here.)

The US Census certified earlier this year that Alexandria had a “full count” during the pandemic, meaning

Visit alexandriava.gov/Census2020 for more information on the 2020 U.S. Census.