History
Location & Climate
Prince William County, named for the second son of King George II of England, was established in 1731 and was originally about 2,000 square miles in area. Bu 1759, the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier and Loudoun had been carved from it, leaving an area of some 348 square miles today. The areas of Manassas and Manassas Park add 8.1 square miles and 1.7 square miles, respectively, to the total.
The County is situated in northern Virginia and is bounded by the Potomac River to the east, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to the north, Fauquier County to the west and southwest, and Stafford County to the south.
The altitude in Prince William County ranges from 25 to 1,300 feet above sea level. The relatively mild climate (mean annual temperature 56 degrees Fahrenheit) and annual precipitation of 40.5 inches allow for a growing season of over six months.
Population
Prince William County ranks as the third largest jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The number of residents in the County has increased steadily since the 1950's. The following table charts the growth and its expected continuation through the year 2020.
Year
Population
1960 50,164 1970 111,102 1980 144,703 1990 215,686 2010* 350,000 2020* 428,000 *Estimate *Information obtained from the 13th edition of Handbooks, Inc. Copyright © 2001
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