Fairfax County, Virginia
Categories: Virginia counties | Washington, D.C. suburbs | Fairfax County, Virginia
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| Location | |||
| Image:Map of Virginia highlighting Fairfax County.png Location of Fairfax County within Virginia. | |||
| Political Charateristics | |||
| Country State | United States Virginia | ||
| Board of Supervisors
Chairman | Gerry Connolly | ||
| Formed | 1742 | ||
| County Seat | Fairfax | ||
| Physical Characteristics | |||
| Area Land Water | 1,053 km² 1,023 km² 30 km² | ||
| Population Total (2005) Density | 1,366,175 351/km² | ||
| Time zone Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC−5) Eastern (UTC−4) | ||
| Official website: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ | |||
Fairfax County is a county of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. As of 2005, the estimated population of the county is 1,366,175; making it by far the most populous county in Virginia, and one of the largest in the United States. It is also the most populous jurisdiction in the Greater Washington Area, surpassing the population of Washington, D.C. by over 500,000 residents, and Baltimore by 300,000 residents. Its county seat is the independent city of Fairfax6. Fairfax County is the location of many suburbs of Washington D.C. and the county lies just outside of Washington D.C.
Contents |
History
Fairfax County was formed in 1742 from the northern part of Prince William County. It was named for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1693-1781), proprietor of the Northern Neck.
In 1757 the northwestern two-thirds of Fairfax County became Loudoun County. In 1789 part of Fairfax County was ceded to the federal government to form Alexandria County of the District of Columbia. Alexandria County was returned to Virginia in 1846, reduced in size by the secession of the independent city of Alexandria in 1870, and renamed Arlington County in 1920. The Fairfax County town of Falls Church became an independent city in 1948. The Fairfax County town of Fairfax became an independent city in 1961.
Located near Washington, D.C., Fairfax County was an important region in the Civil War. The Battle of Chantilly or Ox Hill, during the same campaign as the second battle of Bull Run, was fought within the county; Bull Run straddles the border between Fairfax and Prince William County. For most of the Civil War, Union troops occupied the county, though the population remained sympathetic to the Confederacy.
The growth of the Federal Government in the years during and after World War II spurred rapid growth in the county. As a result, the once rural county began to become increasingly suburban. Other large businesses continued to settle in Fairfax County and the opening of Tysons Corner Center spurred the rise of Tysons Corner itself. The technology boom and a steady government driven economy also created rapid growth and an increasingly growing and diverse population. The economy has also made Fairfax County one of the wealthiest counties in the nation.
Geography
Fairfax County is bounded on the north and southeast by the Potomac River; across the river to the northeast is Washington, DC, across the river to the northwest is Montgomery County, Maryland, across the river to the southeast is Prince George's County, Maryland and Charles County, Maryland; it is also partially bounded on the north and east by Arlington County and the independent cities of Alexandria and Falls Church; it is bound on the west by Loudoun County; and on the south by Prince William County and the independent cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,053 km² (407 mi²). 1,023 km² (395 mi²) of it is land and 30 km² (12 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.85% water.
Government and politics
The county is divided into nine supervisor districts: Braddock, Dranesville, Hunter Mill, Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon, Providence, Springfield, and Sully. The supervisor districts each elect one supervisor to the Board of Supervisors which governs Fairfax County. There is also a Chairman elected by the county at-large.
Fairfax County used to be considered a strong Republican bastion in the suburbs of Washington, DC. However, Democrats continue to make inroads in Fairfax County with Democrats controlling the Board of Supervisors and the School Board (which is officially nonpartisan) as well as the Sheriff and Commonwealth Attorney offices. Democrats in Fairfax also control the majority of Fairfax seats in the House of Delegates and State Senate. Republicans control two of the three congressional seats that include parts of Faifax County. Communities closer to Washington D.C. generally favor Democrats while outlying communities usually favor Republicans. In 2000 and 2001, Fairfax County voted Democratic in the races for Senate and Governor. In 2004, John Kerry won the county; the first Democrat to do so since Lyndon Johnson in his 1964 landslide (Coincidentally that was the last time Democrats carried the state). Kerry defeated Bush in the county 53% to 46%. The fact that Republicans have won Virginia's largest county in every presidential election since 1968 is partly the reason why the Old Dominion has not voted for a Democrat since 1964.
Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year | Population |
| 1790 | 12,320 |
| 1800 | 13,317 |
| 1810 | 13,111 |
| 1820 | 11,404 |
| 1830 | 9,204 |
| 1840 | 9,370 |
| 1850 | 10,682 |
| 1860 | 11,834 |
| 1870 | 12,952 |
| 1880 | 16,025 |
| 1890 | 16,655 |
| 1900 | 18,580 |
| 1910 | 20,536 |
| 1920 | 21,943 |
| 1930 | 25,264 |
| 1940 | 40,929 |
| 1950 | 98,557 |
| 1960 | 275,002 |
| 1970 | 455,021 |
| 1980 | 595,754 |
| 1990 | 818,584 |
| 2000 | 969,749 |
| 2004 | 1,003,157 |
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 969,749 people, 350,714 households, and 250,409 families residing in the county. The population density is 948/km² (2,455/mi²). There are 359,411 housing units at an average density of 351/km² (910/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 69.91% White, 8.57% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 13.00% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.54% from other races, and 3.65% from two or more races. 11.03% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Fairfax County is home to more than 60,000 Koreans, particularly in the Annandale area, along with substantial groups of immigrants from other, primarily Asian, countries.
There are 350,714 households, of which 36.30% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% are married couples living together, 8.60% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% are non-families. 21.40% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.80% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.74 and the average family size is 3.20.
In the county, the population is spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 33.90% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $81,050, and the median income for a family is $92,146. Males have a median income of $60,503 versus $41,802 for females. The per capita income for the county is $36,888. 4.50% of the population and 3.00% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 5.20% of those under the age of 18 and 4.00% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Judged by median income, Fairfax County was the richest county in the country through the late 1990's but was recently overtaken by Douglas County, Colorado and is currently the second wealthiest county in the country--as judged by median household income.
Education
One of the primary attractions of Fairfax County is its public school system, perennially rated one of the best in the country. The average cost per student in 2004-05 is $11,022. The school system contains several high schools with Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate degree programs, in addition to a science and technology magnet school, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. It is one of a select few Virginia Governor's Schools.
Fairfax County is the home to George Mason University.
Economy
The economy of Fairfax County is a robust service economy. Fairfax most heavily relies on the Federal Government. Many citizens work for the government or for contractors of the Federal Government. Defense contractors in particular are prominent. The government is the largest employer with Fort Belvoir in southern Fairfax being the county's single largest employer. The top 5 largest private employers are the Inova Health System, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) and Freddie Mac. Fairfax County also is home to several large companies such as Nextel, Gannett, Capital One, General Dynamics, NVR, and Freddie Mac.
Towns, Independent Cities, and Other Localities
Three incorporated towns, Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna, are located within Fairfax County.
The independent cities of Falls Church and Fairfax were formed out of areas formerly under the jurisdiction of Fairfax County, but are politically separate, despite the status of the City of Fairfax as county seat. Fairfax County contains an exclave located in the central business district of the City of Fairfax, in which many county facilities (including the courthouse and jail) are located.
Other communities within Fairfax County are unincorporated places; Virginia law prohibits the creation of any new municipalities within any county with a population density of over 1,000 per square mile (which currently affects Fairfax and Arlington Counties in Northern Virginia, and Henrico County adjacent to Richmond).
Unincorporated Census Designated Places
The following localities within Fairfax County are identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as (unincorporated) Census-Designated Places:
In addition, Fairfax County contains the following localities that are not Census Designated Places recognized by the Census Bureau:
External links
- Official Site of the County of Fairfax
- Fairfax County Government Website
- Fairfax County Public Schools
- Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
- Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce
- Fairfax County Convention and Visitors Center
- Fairfax County Public Library System
- Celebrate Fairfax
- Facts about Fairfax County
- Fairfax County's Historical Markers