Petersburg, Hopewell & Colonial Heights

The three independent cities south of Richmond that form the 'Tri-Cities' area at the confluence of the Appomattox and James rivers. Petersburg (pop. 33,458) is a historic city with significant Civil War heritage and a revitalizing downtown, though it has faced economic challenges. Colonial Heights (pop. 18,170) sits across the Appomattox from Petersburg and offers a more suburban character with Southpark Mall as a commercial anchor. Hopewell (pop. 23,033) is an industrial city at the confluence of the Appomattox and James rivers with a walkable downtown and the Appomattox River Trail. All three are independent cities (county-equivalent) under Virginia law.