- Loudoun County is known for its beautiful natural scenery, historic towns, and dynamic economy
- Residents here enjoy a wide range of recreational activities, from wine tasting and brewery hopping to golf and horseback riding
- Loudoun County boasts highly rated schools and excellent job opportunities
- Housing options abound here and include single-family homes, townhomes, and condos
Ready to move to Loudoun County, VA? You’ve made the right decision. This is a place where people from all walks of life can start over and get a new lease on life. Here’s what you need to know about your new home in Virginia.
Location and demographics
Located roughly 25 miles from Washington DC, Loudoun County spans five million acres in Northern Virginia. Its rugged terrain is bordered by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the mighty Potomac River to the north.
It is made up of high-density urban areas on the eastern portion and low density rural areas further west of Route 15. An estimated population of 401,893 (as of the 2018 census) is dispersed across incorporated and unincorporated communities across the county.
The Town of Leesburg serves as the county seat. Loudoun County’s other towns and communities include:
- Purcellville
- Hillsboro
- Ashburn
- Round Hill
- Sterling
- Hamilton
- Bluemont
- Lovettsville
- Lucketts
- Middleburg
- Waterford
The closest airport is Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), a full-service airport that serves over 20 million travelers in any given year.
The county is also accessible via Sandy Hook Bridge from Maryland and White’s Ferry via the Potomac River.
Forbes ranks Loudoun County among the wealthiest counties in the United States with a per capita income of $139,915.
Its residents are also some of the happiest in the nation – SmartAsset ranked Loudoun County the happiest in the U.S. based on economic security, physical health, family stability, and other factors.
History
Loudoun County was originally part of the Fairfax Proprietary, a stretch of land between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers that had been granted by King Charles II to several nobles in 1649.
The Proprietary was divided into different counties from 1653 to 1730, with the remaining land designated as Fairfax County in 1742.
Fairfax County was divided into separate counties in 1757 with the western portion named in honor of the fourth earl of Loudoun, John Campbell. Leesburg has been the county seat ever since.
Settlers from Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Eastern Virginia settled Loudoun County between 1725 and 1730 and founded tobacco plantations.
It would be a quiet agricultural area for over two centuries and the population remained relatively small at just 20,000.
The completion of Dulles International Airport in the 1960s attracted workers, families, and business owners to Loudoun County.
The rapid growth of Washington, D.C. also paved the way for significant road improvements that provided better access to and from Loudoun County, attracting more residents.
Today, it is a prosperous county known for its natural scenery, neighborhoods, and business opportunities. AOL, Verizon, Raytheon Technologies, and other tech companies have their headquarters in Loudoun.
Real estate
The housing market is remarkably diverse, with a wide selection of single-family homes, townhomes, and condos to choose from. Prevalent architectural styles include Victorian, Colonial, Queen Anne, Craftsman, Manor, and Mid-Century Modern, just to name a few.
Most single-family homes are located along quiet, leafy streets while condos provide access to historic downtown areas with independently owned shops, restaurants, and cafes.
For tips on buying and selling Loudoun County, VA real estate, watch our video blogs here.
Schools
Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) was founded in 1870. It is considered the third largest school division in Virginia with about 2,500 new students joining each year. It currently serves approximately 83,000 students in 94 world-class facilities.
The division counts two centers, 59 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, one intermediate school, and 16 high schools among its prestigious facilities. These are some of Northern Virginia’s best-performing schools, consistently ranking in the top 30% of all public schools in the state.
According to Public School Review, LCPS has an average math proficiency of 73% (higher than the statewide average of 72%) and a reading proficiency score of 86% (higher than the statewide average of 80%).
Recreation
Residents enjoy a wide range of recreational activities in their free time, including:
- Wine tasting – Loudon County is located in Wine Country, with over 40 wineries with breathtaking views of rolling slopes and fantastic wine. These wineries also offer farm-to-table dishes, artisanal cheeses, and fun activities like wine stomping, concerts, and yoga sessions.
- Brewery hopping – Loudoun is known for the LoCo Ale Trail, which features 35 local breweries with custom-built tap rooms, mountain views, fun activities, fantastic food, and all the craft beer you can handle.
- Golf – The area is home to some of the most prestigious designer golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic, including Trump National Golf Club, Raspberry Falls Golf, The Golf Club at Lansdowne, and Stoneleigh Golf and Country Club.
- Horseback riding – Northern Virginia is known for its vibrant equestrian scene and Loudoun County is no exception with equestrian facilities like Overlook Farm, Red Gate Farm, Misty Brae Farm, and Serene Acres, just to name a few.
Wicker Homes Group has been serving real estate clients in Northern Virginia for over 30 years. Let us help you find the perfect home in Loudoun County, VA and the surrounding areas. You can leave a message here. You can also reach us at 571.201.4997 and Info(at)WickerHomes(dotted)com. For tips and advice on Loudoun County, VA real estate, follow our VLOG channel.