Stafford County, Virginia

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Stafford County, Virginia

Map
Location in the state of Virginia
Virginia's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded	1664
Seat	Stafford
Area - Total - Land - Water	280 sq mi (725 km²) 270 sq mi (699 km²) 10 sq mi (26 km²), 3.43%
Population - (2007) - Density	124,177 886/sq mi (342/km²)
Website: www.co.stafford.va.us

Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, however, the current estimated population as of 2007 is 124,117, a 33.0% increase. Its county seat is Stafford^[1]. In 2006 Stafford County was ranked as the 11th highest income county in the America by Forbes Magazine.

This county is also a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Points of interest
- 4.1 Local newspapers
5 Localities
6 Public Schools
7 Major bodies of water
8 External links
9 References

[edit] History

Stafford County was established by the British colonial government of Virginia in 1664 from territory that was previously part of Westmoreland County, Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, and Prince William County, and thusly encompassed the majority of what is now considered Northern Virginia. The county is named for Staffordshire, England and is the sister city of Stafford, England.

Pocahontas, the Indian princess, was kidnapped at Marlborough Point in the eastern part of the county and taken to a secondary English settlement known as Henricus (or Henrico Town). While there, she converted to Christianity and married an English settler named John Rolfe in April 1614. See also Kidnapping of Pocahontas Highway Marker or Pocahontas Highway Marker.

George Washington spent much of his childhood in the lower part of the county on his family's home, Ferry Farm, along the Rappahannock River across from the city of Fredericksburg. It was during this time that George supposedly cut down the legendary cherry tree. Colonial Forge High School was built on a tract of land owned by his father, Augustine Washington.^[2]

George Mason also spent his formative years in Stafford.^[3]

Aquia Church, a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1757 and remains open today ^[4].

During the Revolutionary War the Stafford iron works furnished arms for the American soldiers ^[5].

Aquia sandstone quarried from Stafford's Government Island was used to build the White House and the U.S. Capitol ^[6].

More than 100,000 troops occupied Stafford during the American Civil War for several years. The Battle of Aquia Creek took place in Stafford in the Aquia Harbour area.

In Falmouth, a town in the southern part of Stafford County bordering Fredericksburg, is Belmont, home to the late-19th century artist Gari Melchers.

Stafford County today is considered part of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and many residents commute north on Interstate Highway 95, U.S. Route 1, and Virginia Railway Express.

In the early morning hours of May 9, 2008, a tornado touched down in the southern part of the county, severely damaging about 140 suburban homes.^[7]

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 280 square miles (725 km²), of which, 270 square miles (700 km²) of it is land and 10 square miles (25 km²) of it (3.43%) is water. The Potomac River flows along part of the eastern border of the county, while the Rappahannock River runs along the extent of the county's southern border. It is bounded on the north by Prince William County, on the south by Culpeper County, Spotsylvania County, and Caroline County and the independent city of Fredericksburg; on the east by King George County and, across the Potomac River, by Charles County, Maryland; and bounded on the west by Fauquier County.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[8] of 2005, there were 117,874 people, 38,237 households, and 24,481 families residing in the county. The population density was 342 people per square mile (132/km²). There were 31,405 housing units at an average density of 116 per square mile (45/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.00% white, 15.6% [[Race (United States Census) [[Race (United States Census)African American, 0.45% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. 5.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

By 2005 Stafford County's population was 72.8% non-Hispanic whites. African-Americans were 16.1% of the total population. Native Americans were 0.4% of the county total. Asians 2.3%. Native Hawai'ians and other pacific islanders 0.2%, thus making Stafford County one of the high percentage NHPI population counties in the country. Latinos were 6.4% of the population, above the percentage of Latinos in all of Virginia, put far below Stafford County's northern neighbors.

As of 2000 there were 38,187 households out of which 46.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.00% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.90% were non-families. 13.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the county, the population was spread out with 31.60% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 33.70% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $75,546, and the median income for a family was $78,575. Males had a median income of $47,080 versus $31,469 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,762. About 2.40% of families and 3.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.30% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.