“Northern Virginia” is a sub-area of both the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Washington DC metropolitan area. It borders Maryland and Washington DC along the Potomac River, and is found at the northeastern reaches of Virginia (see map). This region also is referred to as Virginia’s planning district #8.

With a geographic area of approximately 1,304 square miles, Northern Virginia is home to over 2,000,000 residents. NVRC maintains a significant repository of data on the region’s demographics and other characteristics.

Local governments comprising Northern Virginia include NVRC’s fourteen members, which are four counties: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William; five independent cities: Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park; and five incorporated towns: Dumfries, Herndon, Leesburg, Purcellville and Vienna.

Nine other incorporated towns are not yet members of NVRC, since their populations are smaller than the qualifying threshold of 3,500: Clifton, Hamilton, Haymarket, Hillsboro, Lovettsville, Middleburg, Occoquan, Round Hill, and Quantico.

Northern Virginia residents are represented in the Virginia General Assembly by 26 delegates and 12 senators, and in the US Congress by 5 elected members.

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