Centreville, Virginia
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Centreville is an unincorporated place located in Fairfax County, Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place (CDP), the community had a total population of 48,661 as of the 2000 census.
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Geography
VAMap-doton-Centreville.PNG
Location of Centreville, Virginia
Centreville is located at 38°50'33" North, 77°26'33" West (38.842470, -77.442621)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 25.2 km² (9.7 mi²). 25.2 km² (9.7 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
History
According to a tourism pamphlet published by the Fairfax County Government in 1907 and preserved in the University of Virginia's libraries, Centreville was the first proper town within the modern boundaries of Fairfax County, settled under the name of Newgate or New Gate at some point in the 17th or 18th century. The town never thrived, but its position on a relatively major road towards the Blue Ridge, the Shenandoah Valley, and other western destinations preserved its tavern and general store even after the town of Newgate became a memory. In later colonial times, presumably in the 18th century, when word came that a major new north-south road was to pass through the general vicinity, the few residents of the roadside locale came together and declared themselves the town of Centreville in hopes of attracting the road and becoming an important town at the intersection of north-south and east-west roads. Sadly, the road took another route, Manassas to the southwest became the local hub of transportation, and the town fell back into obscurity. The growing prosperity of the region, however, gave Centreville life enough to keep its identity to the present day.
In the Civil War, though the battles of the region happened nearer to Manassas - twice - and Chantilly than Centreville, the town was fortified by the Confederacy and served as a supply depot for both sides at various points in the war. In 1943, Centreville was still so small that a state map book individually, on a map of the entire county, indicated each building in the town (it also misspelled its name). In more recent times, Centreville has become a suburb of Washington, D.C.. It features a growing Korean population but otherwise is quite a typical American suburb, comprised of townhouses, strip malls, movie theatres, and large housing developments.
Throughout Centreville's history, the correct spelling of the name has been accompanied by the corruption "Centerville," which appears on the occasional map of the region from the colonial period into the early 20th century. The second spelling occurs in the index of the aforementioned pamphlet, but the correct spelling both in the text and the table of contents. The 1943 map lists the town as "Centerville" but the evidence for a consistent "re" spelling before this date seems substantial.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 48,661 people, 17,789 households, and 12,096 families residing in the CDP. The population density is 1,930.9/km² (5,001.4/mi²). There are 18,176 housing units at an average density of 721.3/km² (1,868.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP is 69.49% White, 8.88% African American, 0.29% Native American, 14.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races, and 3.38% from two or more races. 9.17% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 17,789 households, out of which 41.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% are married couples living together, 10.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% are non-families. 21.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 2.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.74 and the average family size is 3.27.
In the CDP, the population is spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 43.7% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females, there are 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP is $71,232, and the median income for a family is $79,351. Males have a median income of $51,123 versus $39,117 for females. The per capita income for the CDP is $28,878. 3.0% of the population and 2.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.0% of those under the age of 18 and 1.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.