The Richmond region is the fastest growing in Virginia and has been for the past two years in a row, according to new data from UVA's Weldon Cooper Center.

Why it matters: A surge in residents usually means the need for new infrastructure, schools and housing to accommodate the newcomers.

What's happening: The Richmond region added 27,640 people between 2020 and July 2022, per census data.

Overall, the region's population grew by 2.1% — three times that of Northern Virginia, which saw only 0.7% population growth and has historically been the fastest growing region in Virginia.

Yes, but: Nearly all of the growth is happening in the counties or exurbs around Richmond, not the city itself.

• The city only grew by 0.2% since 2020, or 357 people, nearly all from births, not new residents.
• In fact, the city actually saw 1,372 residents move away.

By the numbers: The top five fastest-growing Virginia counties since 2020 are:

• New Kent County — 7.5% population growth.
• Goochland County — 5.6% population growth.
• Louisa County — 5.4% population growth.
• Suffolk City — 4.9% population growth.
• Chesterfield County — 4.5% population growth.

Of note: Chesterfield added 17,310 residents since 2020, more than any other county by number of people. Nearly all of the growth came from people moving into the county from other places.

• Henrico grew by 1,685 people, or 0.5%.

The intrigue: Statewide, growth was basically flat. Virginia added just 52,000 people since 2020, a fraction of the growth from a decade earlier when it added more than 180,000 between 2010 and 2012, per the Times-Dispatch.

Much of Richmond's growth is being driven by people moving here from other parts of the state, especially Northern Virginia.

The cost of hiring a babysitter is up 13% in Richmond, outpacing inflation for the second year in a row.

• That's according to survey results from caregiver-finding platform UrbanSitter, provided first to Axios.

Why it matters: A shortage of babysitters and other child care workers — and higher pay those remaining are able to command — is creating seismic ripples in the labor market, keeping some parents at home or in precarious care arrangements, writes Axios' Jennifer Kingson.

• It's also attracting teachers, nurses and other trained professionals into the career — which in turn drives up rates because of their experience.
• In the other direction, day care workers are quitting for higher pay elsewhere — including at custodial jobs.

By the numbers: The average cost of a sitter for one child in Richmond rose from $15.21 to $17.02 an hour, per UrbanSitter.

Zoom out: Last year's national average babysitting rate was $22.68 an hour for one child, $25.37 an hour for two and $27.70 an hour for three.

• That's a staggering 21% increase in just two years, according to UrbanSitter, which looked at booking data from 15,000 U.S. families.

Go deeper via Axios What's Next

🏛 The General Assembly has so far rejected the city's request for $15 million to help rebuild Fox Elementary School. (WTVR)

• City leaders say they can still borrow money to cover gap between the cost of rebuilding and what the school district's insurance company has agreed to pay.

📚 Gov. Youngkin blasted the state's teachers union for distributing a "Black Lives Matter at School toolkit." (Times-Dispatch)

• The Virginia Education Association says it stands by the materials, accusing Youngkin of underfunding majority Black school districts.

🕵️ The FBI retracted a memo distributed by its Richmond office warning of potential ties between the white nationalist movement and "radical traditionalist" Catholics, which drew condemnation from Catholic groups and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. (WRIC)

🏈 Quincy, one of the bald eagles living at Maymont, correctly predicted the Chief’s Super Bowl victory ahead of last night’s game. (Facebook)

Nothing will bring our city together (or tear it apart) like arguing over pizza.

• We all have our favorites, whether it's 8 ½, Mary Angela's, Pizza Bones or Jo-Jo's.

Yes, but: Our best pizza is a point of civic pride.

State of play: We have put together the ultimate Axios Local pizza bracket to crown the best pizza city.

• Will it be Chicago with its deep dish and tavern-style classics?
• Detroit with its baked squares?
• Or will it be Richmond and the simple awesomeness of our underrated food scene?

The bracket is set, and it's up to you, Richmond, to help vote us to the next round.

Our first-round matchup: We're up against Columbus.

Yep, Columbus 🤬ing Ohio — a city that makes giant cow sculptures out of butter. Annually. In summer.

• A city that erected this statue of Arnold Schwarzenegger — because he visits there.
• A city whose suburbs boast a field of over 100 6-foot-tall concrete ears of corn, for reasons unclear to everyone, including Columbusites (which is legit what they call themselves).

Y'all, Columbus is a city that takes the simple perfection of pizza, puts it on a cracker, is stingy with sauce and calls that a unique city style.

• We in Richmond call that a lunchable. And it's unacceptable. We must beat this city.

The first-round voting is open until 3pm today. If we win, we go to the next round.

Of note: 🚨 Axios readers in the winning city will get a pizza party.

Vote here.

💼 Check out who’s hiring around the city.

1. Content Manager, Global Match & Greenlight Match (Product Marketing) at EAB.
2. DC Team Member - Outbound at Covetrus.
3. Market Solutions Owner at Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a Job.

Richmond Restaurant Week has officially raised over $1 million for Feed More since its inception.

Why it matters: It's a major milestone for the twice-annual dining event that lets Richmonders support locally owned restaurants while raising money for Central Virginia's food bank.

What's happening: Last week, Feed More got a $55,485 check from Richmond Restaurant Week, the total from the $5 for every meal served during the October event.

• That check brought the grand total of money raised by Richmond diners and restaurants for Feed More since 2001 to $1,018,653.

Save the date: Spring Richmond Restaurant Week is April 24-30.