Virginia's population growth has outpaced the nation's since the 2010 census.

Demographers at the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service say the state's population grew by 1.2 percent as of July 1, 2011. That puts the state's total population at 8.1 million, according to the center's estimates.

During the same period, the nation grew by less than 1 percent.

The U.Va. demographers say the state's largest population gains were concentrated in urban centers in northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton roads.

Fredericksburg was the fastest-growing locality between 2010 and 2010. Its growth rate was 4.9 percent.

On the other hand, 35 localities in Virginia lost population. Most of those losses were in counties in southwest and Southside Virginia.