History of Prince William County, Virginia in Timeline

Prince William County, Virginia, is the second most populous county in Virginia with a population of 482,204 as of 2020. Located in Northern Virginia and part of the Washington metropolitan area, its county seat is Manassas. Notably, it ranked 24th in the United States for income in 2020. The county is named after Prince William, Duke of Cumberland.

1936: Prince William Forest Park established

In 1936, Prince William Forest Park was established as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area and is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region.

1944: Largest Vote Share Since 1944

Joe Biden's victory in 2020 in Prince William County was the largest share of the vote for a Democratic candidate since 1944.

1948: Old Dominion Speedway opens

In 1948, Old Dominion Speedway opened in Manassas, hosting the first commercial drag race on the East Coast and NASCAR Grand National events.

1960: Population at 50,164

In 1960, Prince William County had a population of 50,164 residents.

1964: First Democratic Carry Since 1964

In 2008 Barack Obama became the first Democrat to carry Prince William County since 1964.

1975: Manassas and Manassas Park become independent cities

In 1975, Manassas and Manassas Park became independent cities, separating from Prince William County.

1988: Largest Victory Since 1988

Hillary Clinton's 2016 victory represented the largest margin of victory for any presidential candidate in the county since 1988.

1990: Family Households

In 1990, 80.7% of households in Prince William County were families, which decreased to 76.1% by 2009.

1994: Disney's America theme park proposal

In 1994, The Walt Disney Company purchased land in Haymarket for a proposed Disney's America theme park, but local resistance led to the project being abandoned. William B. Snyder then acquired the property, later selling most of it to developers, except for a portion donated to the Boy Scouts for Camp Snyder.

2000: Population Changes

Between 2000 and 2010, Prince William County's population had increased significantly, leading to changes in its demographic makeup.

2000: Third-most populous local jurisdiction

By 2000, Prince William County became the third-most populous local jurisdiction in Virginia.

2006: Webb carries the county

In 2006, Democratic U.S. Senator candidate Jim Webb carried Prince William County with 50.51% of the vote.

2007: PWCS overtakes Virginia Beach

Around 2007, Prince William County Public Schools overtook Virginia Beach City Public Schools to become the second-largest school system in Virginia. The system includes various types of schools and has a television station called PWCS-TV.

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2008: Obama's 2008 margin

In 2012 Obama narrowly beat his 2008 margin of victory in Prince William County.

2008: Obama carries Prince William

In the 2008 United States presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama carried Prince William County with 57.51% of the vote. Obama's final rally the night before the election was held at the Prince William County Fairgrounds.

2009: Population Demographics

According to the 2009 American Community Survey, in Prince William County, 29.3% of the population was under 18, approximately 6.5% was aged 65 and over, and the median age was 33.2 years. The survey also indicated that the population was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2009: Household Income

According to the 2009 American Community Survey, the median household income in Prince William County was $89,785, and the per capita income was $35,890. In 2009, 6.0% of the population was living below the poverty line.

2009: American Community Survey

According to the Census Bureau's 2009 American Community Survey, 76.1% of Prince William County's households were occupied by families.

April 1, 2010: Household count

According to census figures, on April 1, 2010, there were 130,785 households in Prince William County.

2010: Census Data

As of the census of 2010, Prince William County had a population of 402,002 people, 137,115 housing units, and 130,785 households residing in the county. The population density was 1,186 inhabitants per square mile.

2010: Population increase

Between 2000 and 2010, county population had increased by 121,189 persons (43.2%).

2012: Seventh-wealthiest county

In 2012, Prince William County was ranked as the seventh-wealthiest county in the United States.

2012: Obama's Success in the 2012 Election

In the 2012 United States presidential election, demographic changes contributed to Obama's success in Prince William County. By 2012, the county had an educated professional population with the seventh-highest income in the country and had become a majority-minority county.

2012: Old Dominion Speedway closed

Old Dominion Speedway closed in the Fall of 2012 due to noise complaints.

2013: Top employers

According to the county's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, top employers were identified in Prince William County.

2014: Population estimated at over 437,000

The estimated population of Prince William County in 2014 was more than 437,000 residents.

2016: Clinton's Victory

In the 2016 United States presidential election, Prince William County voted 57.6% for Hillary Clinton, marking the largest margin of victory for any presidential candidate in the county since 1988.

2017: Legislative Election

In the 2017 legislative election, Prince William County saw a reduction in its number of Republican Delegates from six to one. Marshall, Lingamfelter, Miller, and Anderson were defeated by Democratic challengers Danica Roem, Elizabeth Guzmán, Lee Carter, and Hala Ayala respectively. Dudenhefer retired and was replaced by Jennifer Carroll Foy. Democrats held seven of the eight House seats that include parts of Prince William County.

2019: Hugo defeated by Helmer

In the 2019 election, Tim Hugo was defeated by Democrat Dan Helmer.

2020: Population demographics

As of the 2020 census, Prince William County had a population of 482,204 with a median age of 35.7 years; 26.7% were under 18, and 10.5% were 65 or older. There were 96.8 males for every 100 females and 94.4 males for every 100 females over 18.

2020: Biden's victory

In 2020, Prince William County voted for Joe Biden with 62.6% of the vote, the largest share of the vote for a Democratic candidate since 1944.

2020: Election Conspiracy Theories

Prince William County became a focal point for right-wing conspiracy theories about illegitimate votes during the 2020 presidential election, citing the prosecution of the county's former top election official, Michele White, for alleged vote count fraud. The case was dropped, and it was revealed that errors in vote tabulation favored Trump.

October 2022: Christopher Shorter named County Executive

In October 2022, Christopher Shorter was named County Executive for Prince William County, Virginia.

2025: Democrats hold all house seats

In the 2025 election, former delegate Elizabeth Guzmán defeated the last Republican delegate from Prince William county in the House, Ian Lovejoy, resulting in Democrats holding all seven house seats that include parts of the county.