Weâve been rooting through Virginiaâs latest population estimates, produced annually by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. The number of people moving into the Roanoke Valley has accelerated over the past four years, which suggests the quality-of-life policies pursued by local governments and economic development agencies are paying off. Some â but certainly not all â rural areas in Southside and Southwest Virginia have also seen an uptick in the number of people moving in. Thatâs not enough to offset their deficit of deaths over births but does suggest weâre seeing a helpful migration trend.