Centreville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. According to the 2020 census, Centreville had a population of 73,518, making it the most populous community in Fairfax County. Centreville is approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Washington, D.C.

History

Beginning in the 1760s, the area was called Newgate because of the popular Newgate Tavern. William Carr Lane ran the tavern and shared ownership of a nearby store with James Lane, Jr. The Lanes sold people who had been convicted of crimes, which may explain why the tavern had the same name as a prison in London. A small stream near the tavern was named the River Thames, another connection to London. The name Newgate also came from the fact that the area was a "new gate" to the western territories.

The town of Centerville, later spelled Centreville, was created in 1792 on a turnpike road near the village of Newgate by the Virginia General Assembly. Local landowners asked for the town to be built because it would be helpful for people traveling on the road that connected the Northwest Territory to places like Alexandria, Colchester, Dumfries, Middleburg, George Town (later Georgetown), Fauquier Court House (later Warrenton), and Leesburg. The town’s name came from its central location. James Hardage Lane, one of the landowners, wanted to create the town to help support his wife and children financially. At first, the town was inside Loudoun County, Virginia, but in 1798, it became part of Fairfax County when the county lines changed.

As the town grew, homes, businesses, and other buildings were built on small town lots. These included wooden houses, taverns, stores, blacksmith shops, tan yards, and a schoolhouse.

During the American Civil War, battles such as the First Battle of Manassas, the Second Battle of Manassas, and the Battle of Chantilly took place near Centreville. In the winter of 1861 and early 1862, the town was heavily fortified by the Confederacy and used as a supply depot by both sides during the war. It is famous for being the site of the first railroad built only for military use, called the Centreville Military Railroad. Centreville was important because of its location near key roads and its high position on a ridge, which gave soldiers a clear view of the surrounding area. The town was often linked to Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby, whose guerrilla fighters used nearby hills and farms as a base, leading to the nickname "Mosby's Confederacy."

Like much of Northern Virginia, Centreville saw steady population growth in the 1990s and 2000s. By 2021, the town had grown significantly, with many shopping centers built around its central area.

Geography

Centreville is located at 38°50′33″N and 77°26′33″W (38.84250°N, 77.44250°W).

According to the United States Census Bureau (2010), the CDP has a total area of 12.04 square miles (31.2 km), 99% of which is land.

Climate

Centreville has a climate with four seasons, similar to the humid subtropical type (Köppen: Cfa), which is common in the Mid-Atlantic region. This climate is also influenced by a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa). Winters in Centreville are cold and damp, with frost at night and occasional snowfall. Summers are warm and wet, with temperatures that are not much cooler than those in the southern United States.

Demographics

In 2020, according to the census, Centreville had a population of 73,518 people, with 25,931 housing units and 25,287 households. The population density was 6,157.3 people per square mile (2,379.2 per square kilometer), and the housing unit density was 2,171.8 per square mile (839.2 per square kilometer).

The average age was 36.9 years. Twenty-three point one percent of the population was under 18, and nine point seven percent was 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 95.3 males aged 18 and over.

Of the households, 37.5% included children under 18. Fifty-seven point six percent were married-couple households, 14.8% had a male householder without a spouse or partner, and 22.6% had a female householder without a spouse or partner. About 19.3% of all households had only one person living in them, and 4.4% had someone 65 or older living alone.

The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4%, and the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%, with 2.5% of all housing units vacant.

One hundred percent of residents lived in urban areas, and zero percent lived in rural areas.

According to the 2022 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry group was 10.6% with English ancestry. Forty-one point zero percent of residents spoke a language other than English at home, and 33.4% were born outside the United States. Of those born outside the U.S., 80.1% were naturalized citizens.

The median household income was $131,444, and the median family income was $152,605. Five percent of the population were military veterans, and 57.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the CDP, 5.5% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under 18 and 2.4% of those 65 or older. Six point seven percent of the population did not have health insurance.

Transportation

Centreville is connected by three major roads. U.S. Route 29, the main road through the town, enters Centreville from the west. Virginia Route 28 enters from the south and connects with U.S. Route 29 between Centreville's two main shopping areas. SR 620 (Braddock Road) includes several sections of road within Centreville. Interstate 66 comes from the southwest and connects with both U.S. Route 29 and Virginia Route 28 before continuing toward Washington, D.C., in the east or western Virginia. These three roads create a traffic pattern that can be complex for drivers. For example, drivers traveling north on Virginia Route 28 can exit onto Interstate 66 eastbound, but they must use a one-mile (1.6 km) stretch of U.S. Route 29 to reach the westbound side of Interstate 66. Similarly, Exit 53 on Interstate 66 eastbound only connects to Virginia Route 28 northbound. To reach Virginia Route 28 southbound, drivers must use Exit 52 and the same stretch of U.S. Route 29.

The area is connected to the Metrorail system through Fairfax Connector bus routes 640, 641, and 642.

Notable people

• Megan Ambuhl, former U.S. Army soldier involved in the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse case
• Chris Beatty, wide receivers coach for the Chicago Bears
• Jayson Blair, former New York Times journalist accused of plagiarism
• David L. Brewer III, former U.S. Navy admiral and former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
• Mike Glennon, American football player
• Sean Glennon, former football player
• Helon Habila, professor and author
• Abul Hussam, inventor of the Sono arsenic filter and winner of the Grainger Challenge Prize Gold Award in 2007
• George Juskalian, decorated U.S. Army officer and veteran of World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War
• S.C. Megale, author and screenwriter
• Will Montgomery, former professional football player
• Dustin Pague, professional mixed martial artist
• Ludacris, American rapper and actor; attended Centreville High School for one year
• Eddie Royal, wide receiver for the Chicago Bears; graduated from Westfield High School
• Scott Secules, NFL football player
• Brandon Snyder, MLB first-round draft pick in 2005 by the Baltimore Orioles; attended Westfield High School
• Ormond Stone, astronomer, mathematician, and educator who founded the Fairfax County Public Library
• Richard Taylor, professional American football player
• William J. Thaler, experimental physicist
• Don Warren, former professional American football player
• Sebra Yen, figure skater
• Nitin Kalluru, philanthropist, millionaire, and feminist

Education

Residents of Centreville are assigned to schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools system.

Centreville has two middle schools: Liberty Middle School and Ormond Stone Middle School. Some students from Centreville also attend Rocky Run Middle School.

Centreville High School, which is located within the postal boundaries of Clifton, serves much of Centreville. Some areas of Centreville are served by Chantilly High School and Westfield High School, the latter of which opened in 2000. Both Chantilly High School and Westfield High School are located in Chantilly.

The only high school located within Centreville itself is Mountain View Alternative High School. It is housed in the building that was previously used by Centreville Elementary School.

Although it is a Loudoun County school, Cardinal Ridge Elementary has a Centreville address.

The Fairfax County Public Library operates the Centreville Regional Library in the CDP.

Nearby towns and communities

• Chantilly to South Riding is located 1 mile northwest.
• Clifton is located 5 miles southeast.
• Fair Lakes is located 4.5 miles east.
• Manassas is located 6 miles south.
• Oakton is located 10 miles east /think.