Woodbridge Named 'Boomtown' For Population, Housing Growth

WOODBRIDGE, VA — The Virginia community with the greatest boom in population and housing occupancy growth happens to be Woodbridge, according to a new study.

GOBankingRates did a study on "boomtowns" in each state, reflecting the communities with top changes in population, housing units and incomes. The study only looked at communities with at least 25,000 people but fewer than 500,000.

Woodbridge made the cut as Virginia's top boomtown thanks to its 38,092 — or 89.4 percent — population increase since 2014. The estimated population now stands at 42,619. Other significant growths were an 11,867 (86.9 percent) increase in occupied housing units and 6,984 (85.2 percent) increase in owner-occupied housing units.

One of the other key metrics in the study — per-capita income — wasn't a strong point for Woodbridge. The community actually had a 16.7 percent decrease in per-capita income to $40,321.

Nevertheless, a spokesperson for GOBankingRates noted the significant population growth and increase in occupied homes outweighed the decline in per-capita income.

"Our researchers scored each city based on four categories (population growth, increase in housing units, increase in owner occupied housing units and per capita income) and found the overall average score," said Ray Marek of GOBankingRates. "So, per capita income accounted for 1/4 of the overall score. In other words, while Woodbridge had a drop in per capita income, its extreme population growth makes it Virginia's top boomtown."

See the full results state by state from GOBankingRates.